American Brilliant Cut Glass Inkwell with Repoussé Sterling Lid

This inkwell is an American Gilded Age desk accessory from the American Brilliant Cut Glass (ABCG) period.

Description

• Glass Body: Heavy, square hand-cut lead crystal with deeply cut geometric motifs characteristic of the American Brilliant era. The four side panels showcase large central hobstars surrounded by fine cross-hatching (strawberry diamond cuts) and step/fan cuts radiating toward the shoulders. The base features a prominent multi-point rayed starburst.
• Silver Collar & Lid: A heavy sterling silver collar with a domed, hinged lid. The lid is decorated in high-relief repoussé and chasing, featuring four symmetrical panels with Rococo shell motifs, scrollwork, and floral/leaf garlands encircling a smooth, high-polished central dome.
• Hinge & Collar: Stamped on the back of the collar beneath the four-knuckle hinge with STERLING 701.
• Liner: Includes its original, removable clear glass ink insert edged with a fitted sterling rim flange.

Origin & Date

• Made In: United States
• Date: Circa 1895–1915 (during the height of the American Brilliant Cut Glass movement).

Manufacturer & Silversmith Attribution

During this period, leading American cut glass houses (such as Hawkes, Libbey, or T.G. Hawkes & Co.) frequently partnered with prominent silversmithing firms to supply luxury mounts.

• The Silver Mount (701): Stamped STERLING alongside the production pattern/catalog number 701. While it lacks a distinct pictorial maker’s mark, high-relief Rococo repoussé lids with numeric pattern stamps of this style were manufactured by premier American silversmiths like Unger Brothers, William B. Kerr & Co., Mauser Manufacturing Co., or Gorham Manufacturing Co., who regularly supplied stamped mounts to high-end glass cutters.
• The Cut Glass Body: Blanks of this exceptional weight and clarity featuring intricate hobstars were cut by major American glass houses in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio (such as T.G. Hawkes, J. Hoare & Co., or Libbey).