Civil War Pyramid/Umbrella Aqua Inkwell

This is another nice piece being offered, it is a Civil War Pyramid/Umbrella inkwell. It is aqua colored and measures 2 ¼” high x 2” wide. It has the very early open-pontil bottom. There was a rapid increase in the consumption of ink during the Civil War, accompanied by the required bottles and inkwells to store the ink. The "umbrella" is the type most commonly found at Civil War period sites. There are examples in the Gettysburg National Battlefield Museum (see pictures).

Another example of this inkwell was recovered from the SS Republic, a Civil War-era sidewheel steamship that sank in 1865 while carrying a large cargo of silver and gold coins and a variety of everyday wares essential to life in mid-19th century America. There was a fascinating assortment of 19th century goods in use during the Civil War years (see pictures).

This inkwell is in nice condition, having some stretch marks and air bubbles, common for early glass. In my book “The Civil War Soldier – His Personal Items”, I show an example of one from a Civil War site (see pictures). These inkwells go great with a display of a soldiers personal effects, (particularly nice alongside a letter).