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However, the earliest dates from c. 1800. It once belonged to the English essayist Charles Lamb and is complete with its original tin and velvet case. |
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Charles Lamb Inkwell, England |
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The ‘newest’ inkstand is a brass Art Deco style from Austria dating to c. 1910, (shown left). |
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Art
Deco, Austrian c 1910, brass & glass |
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| Although the collection is predominately English and American, there are also a few European, Oriental and Middle Eastern pieces. The collection represents Mr. Colony’s eclectic taste and the theme of some shows his love of collecting animal images. | ||||||
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Lion, England |
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Dog & Pillow,
America |
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| Inkstands and inkwells evolved in a time before the advent of ballpoints and
felt tip pens and can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Early ones were designed to store powdered pigment.
The pigment was mixed with water as needed. As time went on, the development of non-porous material enabled liquid ink
to be stored without evaporation. For centuries, writing letters was the main means of communication among all literate people. Homes often had at least one desk or a surface set aside to write. Upper class homes demanded more elaborate furnishings. This expensive taste extended to writing accoutrements for the desk. Thus developed a demand for inkstands of finer materials and of interesting, creative designs. Mr. Colony’s collection is mostly from the Victorian era, with highly decorated and often creative designs. They range from single inkwells to elaborate stands with two inkwells and pen holders. Some were intended for the office, hotel or private home. One contains a scale to weigh your letters to determine the proper postage, another comes complete with a manual calendar. |
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| There are two portable inkwells with spring operated covers to prevent ink from spilling, even when carried in a pocket. One of these is in the shape of a tiny heart, perhaps a gift to a traveler from a loved one left at home – and also a gentle reminder to keep in touch! | ||||||
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As a statement against the industrialization of the Victorian age, the Art Nouveau period of the late 1800’s focused on the natural world for inspiration. Animals and plants were popular inkstand themes in this time period and the collection contains several examples of these. |
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Chestnut America c1900 painted bronze & glass |
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| Bee
Skeep England c1900 brass with Agate & Cornelian |
Sphere on Eagle Europe c1880, brass & ceramic |
Monkey in a Pot
America c1880, brass & glass |
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| Floral Stone
Inlay England c1880, stone, glass & silver |
Owl
(closed) England c1880, brass, glass & wood |
Owl (open) | ||||
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Egg, Chick & Leaf Europe c1880, painted brass & ceramic |
Scribe's Case Middle East, c1880, brass |
Leaf America c1880 painted iron & green glass |
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Web Site Link: The Society of Inkwell Collectors |
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Hotel Desk Style America c1880, cast iron & pressed glass |
Cut Crystal
Inkwell America c1900, cut crystal & brass |
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| Inkstand Bibliography
Badders, Veldon. Collector's Guide to Inkwells, Book I. Collector Books, Paducah KY., 1995. Badders, Veldon. Collector's Guide to Inkwells, Book II. Collector Books, Paducah, KY, 1998. Covill, William E. Ink Bottles and Inkwells. William S. Sullwold, Taunton, MA. 1971. Hunting, Jean and Franklin. The Collector's World of Inkwells. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 2000 Odell, John. Digger Odell's Official Antique Bottle and Glass Collector Magazine Price Guide, Volume 4, Ink Bottles. 1995 Odell, John. Digger Odell's Official Antique Bottle and Glass Collector Magazine Price Guide, Volume11, More Inks. 1998 Rivera, Betty and Ted. Inkstands & Inkwells. Crown Publishers, Inc., New York. 1973 |
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