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Image Courtesy of
Skinner, Inc.
www.skinnerinc.com

Horse Hoof Inkwell featuring silver plate mounts Art Nouveau cut glass inkwell, bronze lid, 2¼” x 2½”, Cameo Glass Inkwell, mold blown, lacquered
and glass well. d. 4.13” x 5.31” x ht. 3.35”, late 1800s. Image courtesy of www.Rubylane.com brass domed lid, polished pontil,
wt. 492 gr., ca. 1890. Image courtesy of www.Rubylane.com etched “Daum Nancy” and Croix de Lorraine,
5” x 3½” x 3½”, early 20th century, France.
Richer writers, instead of storing ink in wells, often preferred more silver inkstands, simpler folk made do with smaller, easily wrought
prestigious desk standishes – shallow, rectangular trays known today as stoneware or pewter wells.
inkstands. Though many coveted shimmering gold or silver creations,
others prized porcelain, pewter, onyx, brass, or inlaid-wood models. In Welcome to the 1800s
addition to capped inkwells incorporated into their designs, many also
featured grooves for quill pens, as well as slender drawers for additional By the turn of the century, many stored liquid ink in inexpensive
writing accessories. Some inkstands also featured decorative “pounce” glass bottles. Small ones, enough for a few ounces, were often faceted,
pots; small, perforated shakers filled with finely ground cuttlefish-bone square, or rectangular. Larger ones were typically cylindrical, featuring
powder. When sprinkled, these fine particles not only smoothed over- wide, stable bottoms and sloping sides. All, whatever their size, were
ly-absorbent paper but also, like blotters, kept freshly-penned letters lidded to prevent evaporation, contamination, and accidental spillage.
from smudging. By and by, old-fashioned quill pens were replaced by more
convenient dip-pens. These innovative wooden, bone or metal-handled
Inkwells On The Go implements featured interchangeable steel nibs which infused their
tiny, capillary-like channels with ink. Because they had no reservoirs,
From this time as well, resourceful travelers, riding coach or on however, they needed to be dipped and re-dipped after every few
horseback, often tucked tiny, hinged, carefully constructed glass ink words. Besides, their nibs often fell off, splotching documents or sinking
bottles (as well as quill pens) into their pockets. Over time, ornate into inkwells.
creations—like the Durgin Sterling Silver and Enamel Traveler’s Well-to-do Victorians often favored classic gilt-mounted silver,
Inkwell, featuring gold-washed repoussé scrollwork, floral sprays, and crystal, or cut-glass inkwells. Others preferred stylish porcelain pieces
an enamel medallion—also appeared. featuring lush, hand-painted figural, floral, or scenic motifs. Silver
novelties, replicating calvary helmets or celebrating soldiers, were also

popular. So were outright inkwell oddities, like ram-horns mounted
with silver detail or real, taxidermy horse-hooves.
Durgin Sterling Silver and With the expansion of European train and steamship travel,
Enamel Traveler’s Inkwell, Victorians not only slipped small glass, metal, or gutta-percha inkwells
its hinged cylinder into their hand luggage, many, en route, also purchased souvenir
gold-washed with repoussé inkwells. Scores of examples depict notable sculpted landmarks like the
scrollwork and floral sprays, Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe. Kitschy compositions, awash
lid featuring enameled with actual abalone or scallop shells, commemorate carefree summers
medallion, containing by the sea. Animal-themed inkwells, resembling anything from camels,
additional hinged elephants, and bears to hounds, were also fetching.
compartment with inset glass
inkwell, 2”, ca. 4.7 troy oz.
(including glass inkwell).
ca. 1900, Concord,
New Hampshire.
Realized $738 in 2015.
Image Courtesy of Skinner, Inc.
www.skinnerinc.com

Others, rather than carrying assortments of writing implements on
their person, stored all their clerkish necessities securely in travel-size
wood or cast brass lap desks – the equivalent of today’s laptop computers.
In addition to inkwells, these luxurious carrying cases often held quills,
quill knives, notepaper, pencils, ponce pots, envelopes, seals, sealing
wax, and postage stamps.
Through the mid-1700s, Rococo French and Italian gilt-bronze and
silver inkstands were all the rage. Some featured swirling, twirling Ceramic and brass-mounted inkwell displaying scholarly objects, upon export tray
scrollwork or depicted detailed mythological scenarios edged in gilt- featuring landscape scene, 4”, 19th/20th century, China/Europe
bronze. Though affluent American Colonists evidently boasted shiny Image courtesy of Skinner, Inc. www.skinnerinc.com

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