Since the dawn of wet ink, people have been looking for ways to keep their supply of it safe while traveling. We are thinking that some time in the 1940s or '50s, when aluminum became more available, the folks at "Stephen's" created this special metal case for a bottle of ink. Both ends screw together to create a protective shell for a glass bottle of ink. We do not have the original bottle, but we found this included bottle that fits better than most. Click the headline for close ups. There is a dent in the top under the name "Stephens." The rest of the casing shows wear from use.