Bilston Enameled Traveling Ink set

This little traveling ink set was most likely made in Bilston, an area of Staffordshire, England. While Battersea enameling is possibly most famous when it comes to small boxes and such, Bilston comes a close second and indeed modeled its work on earlier Battersea work.  This set is a very nice example that dates to the late 1700s or early 1800s.

It features hand enameled pastoral scenes, with sheep, cows, farm buildings and a few farmers. The top and each of the four sides show a different scene.  The lid opens by pushing the button in the front. Once opened, one can see a removable inkwell and sander. Four sections of a pen are also included; they slide into each other to create a dip pen.

You can read more about Battersea and Bilston enameling in the Spring 2010 issue of The Stained Finger, page 16.