Boquet Pump Inkstand

This French pump inkwell, dating to the mid-19th century, is a sophisticated example of early industrial design applied to luxury goods.

Description

• Body and Base: The inkwell features a central cylindrical porcelain reservoir and an integrated wide saucer base, both decorated with crisp blue and gold horizontal bands.
• Hardware: The top is fitted with a bronze cap and a large, flat-topped plunger knob.
• Ink Font: A small porcelain dipping font is incorporated in the front of the main cylinder, featuring a metal lid chained to the inkwell.
• Quill Holders: Two small, hollow porcelain cylinders are built into the saucer base to act as holders for quills or dip pens.

The Pump Mechanism

This “Boquet” style inkwell functions through displacement and air pressure, an innovative solution to prevent ink evaporation and sediment buildup:

1. The Internal Piston: The bronze top is attached to a thick internal rod with a heavy, weighted plunger at the bottom.
2. Pressure Action: When the user presses down or turns the top knob, this piston moves into the ink-filled porcelain reservoir.
3. Displacement: This action forces the ink through an internal channel at the base of the cylinder and up into the small front dipping font.
4. Recession: Once the writing session is finished, reversing the pressure allows the ink to recede back into the main airtight reservoir, keeping the bulk of the ink fresh and fluid while keeping the dipping area clean.

Manufacturer Information

Based on the impressed writing on the top knob, this piece can be precisely attributed:

• Inventor: Boquet, a prominent Parisian maker known for innovating hydraulic and pump-action inkwells during the 19th century.
• Award: The center inscription “MÉDAILLE D’ARGENT 1839” indicates that Boquet was awarded a silver medal at the 1839 French Industrial Exposition in Paris.
• Legal Status: “BᵀÉ S.G.D.G.” stands for Breveté Sans Garantie du Gouvernement (“Patented without Government Guarantee”), a standard French legal mark for inventions of the period.
• Origin: The marking “PARIS” confirms its origin in the hub of 19th-century luxury craft.

Given the 1839 award date, this specific inkwell was likely produced in the 1840s, 1850s or 1860s, making it an early and historically significant example of the Boquet patent.