Cats Driving Dog-Drawn Boot Chariot

This whimsical novelty inkwell depicts a comical, anthropomorphic role-reversal of the classic “cats vs. dogs” dynamic:

• The Boot Carriage: A high-topped, laced leather workman’s boot has been reimagined as an improvised chariot or buggy.
• The Feline Passengers: Two cats are riding comfortably inside the ankle of the boot. The cat in the front is holding a thin metal rod or wire—this represents a whip or riding crop.
• The Canine “Horse”: Placed at the toe of the boot is a small dog (resembling a pug or terrier mix) reared up on its hind legs, straining and lunging forward.

The scene humorously depicts the cats “driving” the boot like a horse-drawn carriage, using the dog as their draft animal to pull them along.

Origin and Date

• Where it was made: This style of humorously staged, detailed animal novelty is characteristic of Austrian (Vienna) or German manufacturing. Austrian foundries (famous for “Vienna Bronzes” by makers like Franz Bergmann or Fritz Bermann) specialized in these exact types of cold-painted or polychrome cast-metal desk novelties. While high-end versions were cast in bronze, popular commercial versions were also produced in spelter (white metal) or brass with painted finishes.
• When it was made: This piece dates to circa 1890–1910, when whimsical, narrative desk accessories were at the height of fashion.

Construction & Design Details

• The Mechanism: The collar/rim of the boot where the cats sit is attached to a sturdy hinge at the back. When lifted, it opens up to reveal the internal well meant to hold a small glass or ceramic insert.
• The Lever: The small flange extending out from the back loop of the boot serves as a convenient thumb tab to pull the lid open without putting pressure on the cat figures themselves.