Double Inkstand – Rococo Revival Brass & Glass

Description

• Overall Design: An ornate, rectangular French Rococo Revival style double inkstand crafted in cast brass.
• Base & Pen Tray: The tray features openwork scrolling acanthus leaves, shell motifs, and floral flourishes across the front and rear borders. The inner tray includes two sunken inkwells, separated by a low central ridge. The base rests on stepped corner feet.
• Inkwells: Two removable, heavy clear glass block inkwells featuring clean-cut, bevel-edged geometric profiles.
• Lids & Hardware: Each glass block is topped with an ornate brass collar and a domed lid decorated with radiating leaf/acanthus engraving and crowned by a multi-tiered finial. The undersides of the lids show brass mounting screws securing the top decorative components.
• Dimensions: The base measures approximately 13 inches wide by 9.5 inches deep.

Origin & Attribution

• Style & Era: French Rococo Revival.
• Date: Circa 1880–1900 (Late 19th Century).
• Place of Origin: France (most likely produced by Parisian brass or bronze foundries specializing in ornate desk accoutrements).
• Maker: Unspecified / Unmarked foundry. High-end decorative brass items from this era were produced by Parisian manufacturers (such as Baudy or contemporary French foundry workshops), often exported without prominent maker’s marks or stamped with simple inventory numbers on the underside.