The Original Mine – Butte Montana

This “Art Metal” souvenir inkwell celebrates the industrial heritage of Butte, Montana.

Description

The inkwell is made of a copper-plated metal (a white metal or spelter core with a heavy copper wash), a material chosen to reflect the primary output of the location it commemorates. It features a square, stepped base with a hinged lid.

• The Lid: Features a raised decorative shield (cartouche) depicting the Original Mine headframe and its surrounding buildings.
• The Pen Rests: Two scrolled “C-shaped” brackets on the front are designed to hold a dip pen.
• The Interior: Contains a circular glass insert to hold the ink.
• The Mark: The underside is stamped with a small oval hallmark containing the letters “K & Co” (sometimes identified as K & O Co.).

The Manufacturer: K & Co.

The “K & Co” mark belongs to the Kronheim & Oldenbusch (K & O) Novelties Company, a major manufacturer of metal desktop novelties based in Brooklyn, New York.

• Company History: Founded in 1890, K & O specialized in “Art Metal” goods—decorative items like bookends, perpetual calendars, and inkwells that were sold in gift shops and department stores across the country.
• Specialization: They were famous for their copper-plated and bronze-plated finishes, which were extremely popular during the Arts & Crafts and Mission-style movements (c. 1900–1920).
• The Souvenir Trade: K & O frequently contracted with local tourist hubs to produce site-specific designs (like the “Original Mine”) to be sold as mementos.

Mining History: The Original Mine

The Original Mine is one of the most significant sites in American mining history.

• Founding: Located in the heart of Uptown Butte, it was the first quartz claim filed on the “Richest Hill on Earth” in 1864. Its name—”The Original”—comes from its status as the very first.
• Succession of Wealth: It began as a silver mine during the silver boom but eventually transitioned to copper as electricity transformed the global economy. It became a cornerstone of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, helping Butte produce roughly 25% of the world’s copper at its peak.
• Legacy: The steel headframe shown on this inkwell’s lid was built later (replacing a wooden one) and remains a prominent landmark in Butte today, now part of the Original Mine Yard public space.

Why it Became a Souvenir Location

In the early 1900s, Butte was not just an industrial site; it was a global phenomenon.

1. Industrial Tourism: Tourists flocked to Butte to see the “Richest Hill on Earth.” The scale of the operations was so massive that the city itself was a destination. The Original Mine, being centrally located and the “first” mine, was a natural point of interest.
2. Copper Pride: Since copper was the source of the city’s vast wealth, copper-plated souvenirs like this inkwell were the perfect “thematic” gift. They allowed visitors to take home a symbolic piece of the metal that “lit up the world.”

Estimated Manufacturing Date

This inkwell was most likely manufactured between 1905 and 1920. The style of the metalwork, the choice of copper plating, and the “K & Co” mark all align with the height of the souvenir metalware industry and the peak production years of the Original Mine under the Anaconda company.