Bronze Hunting-Themed Inkstand

Inkstands like this feature dense, naturalistic groupings of objects for collectors with interests in hunting, sport, and nature.

• Style: Naturalistic/Realist, executed in a Trompe-l’œil style, meaning the objects are sculpted so realistically that they “fool the eye” into thinking they are real items scattered on the base. The theme is a hunting tableau—a display of gear and quarry after a successful hunt.
• Material and Base: The inkstand is crafted from cast bronze. It is mounted on an oval base of slate.
• Inkwell Component: The main inkwell reservoir is concealed within the hollowed-out tree stump. The hinged lid, featuring the game animals, covers the opening where the original glass or ceramic liner would have sat (now missing). The small, sculpted branch nubs around the stump serve as the functional pen rests.

Identification of the Scattered Hunting Implements

Here is an inventory of the items cast onto the base, representing classic 19th-century hunting gear (Trompe-l’œil):

Origin and Age Assessment

This style of bronze tableau is strongly associated with Continental European production during the mid-to-late 19th century.

• Likely Origin:
  • France (Paris): Known for producing high-quality, highly detailed bronze desk accessories, often mounted on black slate, throughout the Second Empire (c. 1850-1870). The detail and execution quality suggest a Parisian foundry.
  • Germany/Austria: Also produced excellent hunting-themed items, particularly linking to the Germanic hunting traditions.
• Style Period: The naturalistic detail and the use of the mixed-media base (bronze on black stone) are hallmarks of the Victorian/Gilded Age decorative aesthetic.
• Estimated Age: circa 1860 – 1890