Shipwreck Sale: Beautiful Problem-Free Civil WarDug Glass Ink Bottle

I was fortunate to purchase a group of ink bottles that were dug in Civil War campsite garbage pits. But they're hardly garbage. In fact, those hunting Civil War treasures other than the people using metal detectors, have found myriad glass, leather, wood and other artifacts that were discarded during the War.

These shear top ink bottles typically were purchased from the soldiers' regimental sutlers, the stores on wheels that followed the regiment throughout the war. Others came directly from the volunteers at Sanitary Fairs.

Shear top is just whatyou'd assume: The bottles were sealed with hot glass once the ink was put in and when purchased, the soldiers would have to use a deft hand (knife edge rather than hammer!) to crack the top off, hence the ragged edges. They then sealed them with corks until their next stolen moments to write. The Sanitary Fairs collected a variety of clothing, necessities and highly appreciated other items--such as fountain pens, paper and bottles of ink.

It's only an educated guess, but I'd say the vast majority of soldier letters sent to families back home came fromshear top ink botles/wells like this. This was generally the enlisted man's way; officers often traveled with small writing desks that had built-in ink wells....but then most of them probably purchased shear top bottles from a sutler to fill these fancier ink wells.