Figural Inkstand – Brass Turkey’s Head

This stylized figural inkstand is cast in gilded brass, depicting the head and upper neck of a turkey, mounted on a scalloped base that evokes layered feathers. The bird’s head is rendered with intricate surface textures, including raised bumps and feather-like ridges, and features a pendulous snood draping from the forehead down over the beak—a distinctive anatomical trait of male turkeys. The eyes are deeply set, and the beak is slightly open. The top of the head is hinged, opening to reveal a cavity for an ink reservoir. The base is richly detailed, complementing the ornate head with a design that suggests plumage, typical of late 19th-century European decorative arts.