Blue Glass Double Inkstand with Service Bell

Description

The set features a rectangular pressed glass base in a translucent blue. It is designed with two matching square inkwells positioned on either side of a central brass tap bell.

• Inkwells: The dual wells were standard for the period—one typically held standard black or blue-black ink, while the second was reserved for red ink (used for bookkeeping and corrections) or a specialized “copying ink.”
• Fittings: The hinged lids and the bell assembly are made of brass. The pen groove at the front is designed to keep the dip pen from rolling onto the desk surface.

The Purpose of the Bell

The central bell is a service or tap bell. In a 19th-century domestic setting, it was used to summon a servant to the study or library, perhaps to take a finished letter to the post or to bring fresh tea. In a professional or commercial setting, such as a law office or a hotel reception desk, it would have been used to call for a clerk or assistant.

Age and Origin

• Estimated Age: Circa 1880–1905. This style peaked during the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras when decorative glass desk accessories were at the height of fashion.
• Origin: While unmarked, pieces of this specific pressed glass style and color were frequently produced in England (particularly the Stourbridge glass district) and the United States (such as the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company). Similar vibrant blue glass sets were also manufactured in Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic) for the export market.