Conta & Böhme Porcelain Inkstand – Courtesans Playing Chess

This is a detailed and ornate porcelain inkstand manufactured by Conta & Böhme (Boehme). Three examples are pictured.

Composition and Scene: The main scene depicts three figures dressed in elaborate 18th-century court attire, engaged in a game of chess.

• The Gentleman: The male figure, perhaps a courtier, is seated on one side of a small table, intently focused on the chessboard. His clothing is detailed, featuring knee-breeches and a jacket.
• The Ladies: Two female figures, or court ladies, stand or sit opposite the gentleman. Their gowns are voluminous, and their poses lend an air of courtly drama and elegance to the scene.
• The Base: The figures are arranged on a decorative, scrolled, and gilded porcelain base, which is colored with a soft palette, with gilded accents.

Functionality and Hidden Compartment: The entire figural group is designed to lift off the main tray of the inkstand, revealing the utilitarian components underneath.

• The Tray: The lower, stable section of the inkstand is a tray with holders for the two main writing containers, an inkwell and sander (or pounce pot).
  • The inkwell would hold the ink.
  • The sander would hold a fine powder (pounce or sand) used to dry the fresh ink on paper. Its lid typically has small holes to shake the pounce onto the paper.
• “North Wind” Faces: The most distinctive feature of these containers is their molded decoration: a mustachioed face, sometimes identified as the “North Wind” or a similar mythological/decorative mask. This face, complete with flowing beard or hair, provides a slightly whimsical accent to the functional vessels.

Information About Conta & Böhme

Conta & Böhme was a prominent German porcelain factory known for its highly detailed and decorative figural pieces and novelty items in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

• Location: Pößneck, Thuringia, Germany.
• Founding: The factory was established in 1851 by Johann Georg Conta and Christian Wilhelm Böhme.
• Production Focus: They specialized in decorative porcelain rather than dinnerware. Their most sought-after products were:
  • Figural groups and figurines (often in the 18th-century style, like the inkstand described).
  • Vases, trinket boxes, and other desk accessories.
  • Novelty items, including whimsical tobacco jars and intricate beer steins.
• Style and Characteristics: Conta & Böhme pieces are typically characterized by:
  • High quality of modeling and molding.
  • Rococo and late-Baroque inspired designs, often drawing on the historical styles of Meissen or Dresden porcelain.
  • Extensive use of elaborate and vibrant hand-painted colors, including a generous application of gold gilding.
• Decline: The factory continued production into the 20th century, eventually suffering a decline in the mid-20th century as consumer tastes and the economic landscape shifted.