Two Dogs Encounter a Cat on a Barrel

This whimsical novelty inkstand features a playful encounter between a two dogs and a cat.

Detailed Description

• The Scene: The stand depicts a large white Terrier (likely a Fox Terrier or Jack Russell) with black and brown patches standing beside a smaller puppy, both gazing up at a tabby cat perched defiantly on top of a barrel.
• The Barrel Inkwell: The barrel features detailed “wood grain” textures and dark horizontal bands. It is hinged at the back, with the cat serving as a decorative finial.
• Internal Reservoir: Lifting the lid reveals a white ceramic inkwell insert.
• The Integrated Pen Wipe: A circular opening on the cat’s back contains a bundle of stiff brown bristles. This served as a functional pen wipe, used to clean ink from the nibs of dip pens after use.

Origin and Age

• Material: The piece is made of cold-painted spelter (a zinc-based white metal alloy) or potentially brass. “Cold painting” was a technique where layers of enamel paint were applied to the cast metal without firing, allowing for the naturalistic colors seen on the dogs’ fur and the cat’s stripes.
• Estimated Age: Circa 1890–1910. This style of novelty animal inkwell was at its peak of popularity during the Late Victorian and Edwardian eras.
• Likely Origin: While unmarked, these pieces were primarily produced in Austria (Vienna). Austrian foundries, such as those in Vienna, were famous for high-quality “Cold Painted Bronzes” and their more affordable spelter counterparts that featured whimsical, narrative scenes of animals.