Silverplated Inkstand with Recumbent Stag

Description

This silverplated inkstand features a detailed, recumbent stag figure fixed to a raised central lid, flanked by two square cut-glass inkwells.

• Base & Ornamentation: The rectangular base rests on four spherical ball feet. The upper surface features a deep, elongated pen trough in the front. Fine hand-chased foliage and feathering flank the pen well, while the outer borders display repeat starburst motifs and beaded rim details.
• Central Box: The middle section houses a raised rectangular stamp or nib box. The cover—surmounted by the resting stag with multi-pointed antlers—lifts to reveal an internal compartment.
• Inkwells: On either side are matching square cut-glass inkwells sitting within raised, square collar retainers. The heavy glass bodies feature a classic daisy and button (hobnail) cut pattern. Each inkwell is fitted with a hinged silverplated collar and a star-cut domed cap.

Date of Manufacture

Based on the maker’s mark and structural features, this inkstand was manufactured between c. 1886 and 1897.

• Name Stamp: The stamp reads JAMES DEAKIN & SONS / SHEFFIELD. The “Sons” designation was adopted in 1886 when brothers John and Albert joined the partnership.
• Absence of “Ltd”: The mark lacks “Ltd.” (or “Ld.”). James Deakin & Sons officially converted into a limited liability company on May 27, 1897 (James Deakin & Sons Ltd). Pieces produced after May 1897 include “LTD” in their stamp.
• Trade Mark: Above the name is the firm’s classic desk bell (or counter bell) trade mark. Deakin adopted this symbol to distinguish its initials (“JD&S”) from its local Sheffield competitor, James Dixon & Sons.
• Production Markings: The number S3052 is the pattern/catalog production number used by the factory for ordering purposes, while the single digit 8 is a internal factory batch or workman’s tally mark.

History of James Deakin & Sons

• Founding (1866): The firm was established in Sheffield, England, by James Deakin, operating out of the Sidney Works on Matilda Street. It initially traded as James Deakin & Co.
• Expansion (1870s–1880s): James’s son, William Pitchford Deakin, joined the firm in the 1870s. In 1886, two more sons, John and Albert, entered the partnership, formalizing the name James Deakin & Sons. The company expanded rapidly, opening showrooms across the UK, including London, Glasgow, Belfast, Birmingham, and Chester.
• Incorporation & Subsidiaries (1890s): After James Deakin retired in 1893, his sons continued operations and incorporated as a limited company in 1897. Over the years, they acquired other major Sheffield firms, such as electro-plate manufacturers Shaw & Fisher (1894) and Walter Latham & Son (c. 1919).
• Later History & Legacy: In 1935, the company joined a merger called Silver & Steelcrafts Ltd alongside Fenton Bros and J.H. Potter & Sons, though this venture collapsed within three years. By the mid-20th century, the brand name was absorbed into the Monogram Cutlery Group under I.S. Dearden & Sons.