Bohemian Jugendstil Brass & Faceted Glass “Faun” Inkstand

This is a premium European Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) desktop inkstand, featuring high-quality glass paired with heavily stylized brass metalwork.

Design & Motif Description

• The Central Imagery: The main aesthetic theme of the inkstand centers on mythological nature spirits. The hinged circular lid features a stylized face of a faun, satyr, or Pan, with long sweeping horns that loop downward to form a classic Art Nouveau whiplash/heart silhouette.
• The Side Handles: Flanking the glass reservoir, the openwork metal side wings incorporate matching stylized ram or faun heads with deeply ribbed, curved horns that morph organically into the frame.
• The Collar and Pen Rest: The square brass collar securing the glass block is adorned with elegant cast drapery festoons and ribbons. The lower front rail of the frame is designed horizontally to serve as a built-in rest for a dip pen.
• The Glass Reservoir: The main inkwell consists of a heavy, thick-walled, square clear glass block with machine-beveled facets.

Markings & Construction

• Patent Protection: The underside of the frame wing is stamped with the mark “GES. GESCH.” This is the abbreviation for Gesetzlich Geschützt, the German legal designation for a registered design or patent protection.
• Base Plate: The frame features interior metal prongs that support the heavy glass inkwell.

Origin and Date of Manufacture

During this era, the renowned Bohemian glass empire K. Stölzle’s Söhne (frequently out of their Suchenthal facility) specialized in producing these high-density, brilliant lead-crystal faceted ink blocks. They routinely collaborated with German and Austrian metal foundries that provided the ornate Jugendstil brass frames and matching lids to complete the writing sets for the Central European market.

• Estimated Date: Circa 1900–1905. The combination of the specific Ges. Gesch. stamp typography, the distinctive geometric-meets-organic Jugendstil faun motif, and the machine-beveled Bohemian glass places this piece right at the turn of the 20th century.