Featured Please help me ID this INKWELL?

I just got this beautiful old inkwell and I'm curious about its origin or really anything about it. I haven't been able to find one quite like it. Can anyone offer any info? Thanks!

 

Can we see the bottom?

 

Sure! Thanks, evelyb30!

 

I don't have a clue, but one of the "potties" or ink junkies might be along shortly.

 

I BEG YOUR PARDON!?

We prefer to be called penophiles!

But I digress....

Certainly an old inkwell. How old, I couldn't say. Porcelain/ceramic inkwells aren't rare, but I don't think I've ever seen something like that. My guess is early 1900s, but I couldn't be more precise than that.

What else do you wanna know about it?

 

Penophiles... hahahaha!

Thanks for the info, Shangas! I guess I'd just be curious to know if you have an idea of where it was made and an idea of its value. I only paid $12, so I'm happy no matter what it's worth.

 

It would be pretty hard to figure out where it was made, unless those decorations mean anything to anybody. Inkwells were extremely common during the 18th, 19th and first half of the 20th centuries. They didn't generally bother with marking who or where it was made by.

$12.00 was pretty good. Inkwells are not generally worth very much. The ones that are, are the big fancy brass/silver/ceramic desk-sets with double-inkwells, pen-trays, nib-cleaners, etc etc etc etc...

 

Hi,
My little 3" square Tiffany Pine Cone ink well is small but pricey.
greg

 

Something like that would be a real exception to the rule though. Most inkwells cost next to nothing at all. I've got a silver-topped Edwardian one which I paid $10.00 for. I have a brass one I paid probably $20.00 for.

The most I ever paid was about $70.00 for a four-piece Victorian desk-set. Solid brass, with two candlesticks, a pen-tray, and inkwell with liner.

 

It is a pretty inkwell Michele, Joy.

 

It is pretty. Might be a bit earlier? Japonism - 1870s?

 

Michele, I haven't seen any exactly like yours, but I found several with similarities on line. Not one of them was conclusively identified. Folks seemed to label them "Dresden", simply "Germany", or "England". The consensus in terms of dating was "Victorian".

Either way, I think yours is lovely, and if I had one like it, I'm afraid it might be the start of yet another collection!

Here are a few others - just for the heck of it:




I'd be happy to have any or all of them!

 

Yes, quite nice. It actually reminds me of Wavecrest ca. 1900. Same era.