Rabbit’s Head Inkwell

Description of the Inkwell:

• Figural Form and Material: The inkwell is sculpted as the head of a rabbit. The rabbit’s features, such as its eyes, nose, and long ears, are well-defined.  The piece is made of metal (not bronze), which has been hand-painted to give the rabbit a lifelike appearance. The painting captures the natural brown, grey, and white tones of a rabbit’s fur, with details like eyes and nose picked out. He has one ear up and the other down.

A second example is from the same mold, but painted differently. He’s a furry white rabbit. The insides of his ears are painted a pale pink. His eyes are mustard brown with dark pupils, and his nose is also mustard brown.

• Inkwell: There is a hinge at the rabbit’s neck, allowing the entire top half of the head (above the lower mouth) to open backward. This reveals the ceramic inkwell insert.
• Match Strike: An additional feature is the presence of a match strike. This is a ribbed metal surface located on the lower part of the rabbit’s mouth/jaw, which becomes accessible when the top half of the head is opened.

Marking and Age:

The bottom of the inkwell is marked “D.R.G.M.”

• “D.R.G.M.”: This stands for “Deutsches Reich Gebrauchs Muster,” which translates to “German Reich Registered Design” or “German Imperial Registered Design.”
• Purpose: This mark indicates that the design of the item (or a specific functional aspect of it) was officially registered for protection within the German Empire.

Period of Use: The D.R.G.M. mark was in use from 1891 to 1945. Given the style of the piece, the popularity of animal figures in decorative arts, and the use of hand-painted metal, this inkwell most likely dates to the early part of this period, roughly 1900s to 1910s. It aligns with a time when German manufacturers were producing a wide range of inventive and decorative household items for both domestic and international markets.