Carved Poodle Head Inkwell

Overview

• Subject/Breed: Poodle (specifically depicted in a traditional clip). The deep, gouged texturing represents the thick, curly coat over the crown and ears, while the muzzle is carved completely smooth to represent a shaved face—a hallmark of 19th-century poodle representations.
• Form & Function: A desk-top figural inkstand. A horizontal bore through the dog’s mouth functions as a pen rest (shown holding a glass dip pen).
• Construction: Hand-carved from hardwood (typically linden/basswood, walnut, or fruitwood) with an ebonized/dark-stained finish. Features inset amber glass eyes with dark pupils, a small brass hinge at the back, and a flat back and bottom.
• Interior: Opens horizontally across the crown to house a removable, white glazed ceramic insert.

Origin & Date

• Origin: Brienz, Switzerland (Bernese Oberland) or the greater Black Forest carving region (bordering Germany and Switzerland). While popular trade often calls all such 19th-century carved wood desk accessories “Black Forest,” the majority of realistic animal carvings (including St. Bernards, poodles, bears, and hunting dogs) originated from the master woodcarving workshops of Brienz.
• Period/Date: Late 19th Century to early 20th Century (circa 1885 -1910).