Inkipedia
Cupid Delivers a Love Letter
| Categories | Figural - Mythology; Literature; Religion; Fictional |
| Type | Cupid / Cherub / Angel |
| Material | Brass |
| Markings | Unmarked |
| Manufacturer | Undetermined |
| Origin | Undetermined |
| Date or Era | circa 1875 |
| Measuring | 7 ¾” x 6 ¼” x 8” high |
Description
- Design Motifs: Depicts a gilded winged putto (Cupid) delivering an envelope while perched atop a garden fence gate. It features twin rear articulated swivel-arm candlesticks, individually turned brass picket posts that slide into the gallery rail, a central stepped collar holding a pressed glass hobnail/cube well, and dual forward crescent pen rests.
Origin, Maker & Date
- Period: Victorian Era, circa 1870–1885 (c. 1875). The screw assembly on the underside, mixed-metal finishes (nickel/silver plating over brass/spelter and gilt brass), and the pressed pattern-glass ink bottle are classic hallmarks of late 19th-century desk accessories.
- Origin: Most likely American or British/Continental (English or French novelty brassware).
- Manufacturer: Unmarked / Undetermined. These multi-component figural inkstands were produced by high-end decorative metal foundries and sold unmarked through jeweler and stationer trade catalogs.
Estimated value: $200
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