Boquet Porcelain Pump Inkstand

Louis Honoré Boquet was an innovator with pump style inkwells, perfecting a system in which a plunger, when a knob is turned, makes the ink flow into the exterior font. “Médaille D’Argent 1839”, which is stamped into the turning knob, touts an award from the “Societé d’encouragement pour l’Industrie” (Association for encouragement of industry).

This French porcelain inkstand features a central “pump” style inkwell, flanked by two standard inkwells. The turn knob is inscribed with “Encrier bouquet – Inventeur Bté Paris” and “Médaille D’Argent 1839”. The front tray of the inkstand is adorned with delicate hand-painted floral designs and serves as a pen tray. At the rear, there is a pen rack designed to hold pens. The entire piece is painted in a rich green and enhanced with gold accents and vibrant floral motifs, showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship typical of French porcelain from this period.

To see how a pump inkwell works, check out this video:

(1) French pump inkwell – YouTube