Art Nouveau Pewter Inkstand

Date: c. 1900–1910 (The height of the Art Nouveau / Jugendstil period). Origin: Most likely German or French.

• The style is characteristic of the German Jugendstil movement, famous for using pewter (Zinn) to create affordable, artistic household items.
• It strongly resembles the work of manufacturers like Kayserzinn, Orivit, WMF (Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik), or Osiris, all of whom mass-produced high-quality artistic pewter desk sets in this exact style.

Material:

• Cast Pewter (or Britannia Metal). The soft, matte grey finish is typical of unpolished antique pewter.
• Insert: It retains its original white ceramic (porcelain) ink cup.

Detailed Description

• Form: The inkstand has a low, asymmetrical, organic shape that flows across the desk, typical of Art Nouveau design. It functions as a combined inkwell and pen tray.
• Decoration: The piece is relief-cast with a sweeping floral motif.
  • The Flowers: The design features clusters of five-petaled blossoms (possibly wild geraniums, violets, or forget-me-nots) cascading from the inkwell down to the pen tray.
  • The Leaves: Large, rounded, veined leaves dominate the design, creating soft, undulating curves that form the edges of the stand.
• Texture: The background of the pen tray area features a subtle stippled (dotted) texture, which contrasts with the smooth, raised surfaces of the leaves and flowers.
• Lid: The hinged pewter lid is integrated seamlessly into the design, appearing as another leaf or floral cluster when closed.
• Underside: The underside is unfinished, typical of cast pewter wares of this type.

Summary:

Object: Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) Pewter Inkstand. Date: c. 1900–1910. Material: Cast Pewter with ceramic insert. Description: An asymmetrical, flowing desk tray featuring relief-cast floral motifs (geraniums/violets) and large foliage in the Art Nouveau style. Features an integrated pen rest with a stippled background texture and a hinged lid covering a removable white ceramic liner. Style: Jugendstil / Art Nouveau.