Art Deco Faux-Tortoiseshell and Brass Double Inkstand

This Art Deco double inkstand is a classic example of modernist desk accessories from the interwar period.

Description

• The Stand: The rectangular base features a vibrant, mottled faux-tortoiseshell celluloid (or early plastic/xylonite) panel inset within a sleek brass frame. The stand rests on four small matching feet accented with tortoiseshell disks.
• The Inkwells: Two clear molded crystal glass inkwells sit on stepped brass bases.
• The Lids: The hinged brass caps are topped with circular flush-set insets of matching faux-tortoiseshell celluloid.

Dating:

This piece sits squarely in the 1920s to early 1930s.

• Stylistic Cues: The clean geometric lines, stepped architectural elements around the inkwells, and the pairing of industrial/machined brass with luxurious simulated tortoiseshell celluloid are hallmarks of the Art Deco movement at its height (c. 1925–1935).
• Material Evidence: Celluloid and early plastics experienced a massive boom in luxury desk sets during the 1920s as manufacturers sought modern alternatives to natural horn and tortoiseshell. The noticeable shrinkage of the celluloid panel—causing the small gaps visible along the front and right edges—is a common aging characteristic of early nitrate/acetate plastics as the material slowly loses plasticizers over the decades.

Maker and Origin

While unmarked pieces of this style were often produced anonymously for high-end stationers and department stores, this design aesthetic—featuring heavy beveled crystal, stepped brass collars, and celluloid tortoiseshell accents—was widely manufactured in Great Britain (by makers such asigeon-forge or various Birmingham and London metalworkers) as well as Continental Europe (particularly Germany and Austria, which were major exporters of luxury celluloid-trimmed desk wares during the Art Deco era). British makers frequently produced desk sets of precisely this proportion, weight, and brass-work style.