French Champlevé Enamel Inkstand

This ornate inkstand is a nice example of French Champlevé enamel on gilt brass, a luxury desk accessory popular during the late 19th century.

Description

• The Enamel: The piece is decorated with French Champlevé enamel on gilt brass. This technique involves casting or carving cells into the metal and filling them with vibrant vitreous enamel. The patterns are a blend of geometric and stylized floral motifs in a palette of deep navy blue, turquoise, red, and white.
• The Inkwell: The centerpiece is a single circular inkwell. It features a hinged, domed lid that is fully enameled to match the rest of the stand.
• The Pen Tray and Holder: The front of the stand consists of a wide, flat tray designed to catch ink drips. On either end are two raised supports, designed to hold a writing instrument horizontally.

Matching Dip Pen

The long, slender object resting across the two brackets is the original matching dip pen handle.

• Coordinated Design: It is crafted from the same gilt metal and Champlevé enamel as the stand, indicating it was born as part of this specific desk suite.
• Function: A removable metal nib (the point) would be inserted into the tip of this handle. The writer would dip the nib into the single well to draw up enough ink for a few sentences.

Origin and Estimated Age

• Where Made: France (Paris). Paris was the world leader in producing this style of “Orientalist” Champlevé metalwork for luxury stationers.
• When Made: Circa 1870–1890. This single-well format was often designed for personal writing desks or ladies’ boudoirs, where a more compact and elegant stand was preferred over the large double-well library sets.
• Style: It represents the Eclectic movement of the late 19th century, which drew heavy inspiration from Byzantine and Middle Eastern decorative arts.