London ink manufacturer Blackwood & Co departed from the pantheon of ink makers without leaving many traces behind.
An advertisement in The Times attests Blackwood's existence already in 1851. Their "steel pen, copying, writing and other inks" are "contained in the clean registered stone and glass bottles with durable cork" and are "superior to all others in use." At that date Blackwood was based at 26 Long Acre (Covent Garden) and continued to do so three years later in 1854.
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| Blackwood & Co ad, The Times, 4 November 1851 |
In May 1856, Blackwood & Co had their ink bottles patented and again in 1871.
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| Blackwood & Co ad, date unknown. Source: Pinterest |
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| Blackwood's patented syphon bottles. Source: eBay |
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| Blackwood advertising their finest quality free flowing ink in patent syphon bottles, glass or stone. Company is now at 18 Bread Hill. Blackwood ad is placed right above their competitors, Stephens' Ink. Source: The Times, 25 January 1861. |
In 1861, another advertisement in The Times gives a different address: the manufacture is now at 18 Bread Street Hill in the City. In 1878, they take part in the Paris exhibition and although no awards were taken back home, Blackwood must have done well for themselves becoming writing ink suppliers to the H.M. Stationery Office.
Palimpsest's research in the National Archives, British History online, Archive. org and Newspapers.com did not yield any more fruits. This is work in progress.
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| Glass paperweight which reads "Blackwood & Co's Standard Writing Inks as Supplied to H.M. Stationery Office sold by all stationers 18 Bread St Hill London; date unknown |
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| Above and below: Blackwood's light aqua igloo shaped ink bottle with "Blackwood & Co Patent London" embossed. Private collection |
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| Blackwood & Co light aqua octagonal bottle with "Blackwo[od] & Co London" embossed. Private collection. See the cleaning process here. |
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| Early post-1850s ceramic Blackwood & Co ink bottle. Source: Pinterest |
I have just found one of these post 1950s ceramic inkwell but it's a bit battered from the plough. Is it worth saving?
ReplyDeleteWell, they are not really valuable but if I found one, I would save it :)
DeleteI have an octagonal burst top aqua ink embossed on the base with a cross with a capital B in each section - did Blackwood use that as a maker's mark? Many thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this post about the Ink a Day: Blackwood & Co Ink. I am not fully aware of it and your post gives me some detail to read. I used the dissertation writing services and with its help I found your post and it gives me a lot of information.
ReplyDeleteI have now found two of the igloo shaped bottles in fab condition in the stream outside my mothers home…I use them as intended with a carved cork stopper…I love them.
ReplyDelete