Dachshund Sitting on a Basket

This figural inkwell features a classic design by the renowned German toy and metalware manufacturer Georg Heyde & Co.

Description

• Subject: A black-and-tan dachshund wearing a red collar with gold studs, sitting alertly on top of a woven wicker-style picnic basket.
• Desktop Details: Next to the dog on the basket lid sits a molded walking cane/stick and a folded letter or envelope, adding to the desk-themed novelty aesthetic.
• Functionality: The entire lid is hinged at the back. When lifted, it opens to reveal the circular interior well where a glass or ceramic ink liner would originally sit (missing here).
• Material & Finish: It is made of cold-painted cast metal (historically a heavy lead-based alloy or spelter typical of Heyde production). The piece retains much of its original yellow paint on the basket and tricolor detailing on the dog, displaying authentic minor paint wear and chipped areas that reveal the grey base metal underneath.

Where & When it Was Made

• Maker: Georg Heyde & Co.
• Location: Dresden, Germany
• Date: Early 20th Century (typically dating from the 1910s to the 1930s)

Heyde & Co. Attribution

The attribution of this specific dachshund inkwell to Georg Heyde & Co. comes from historical design matching, manufacturing characteristics, and specialty dealer listings rather than a permanent factory signature (as Heyde items were notoriously unmarked or simply stamped “Germany” or “Depose/Protected”).

• The Material & Base Construction: Heyde specialized in casting heavy, crisp-detailed lead/spelter alloys. If you flip the inkwell over, the inset sheet-metal base plate crimped into the heavier cast basket frame is a signature assembly technique used by the Dresden factory to enclose their hollow-cast inkwell bases.
• The “Nippes” Style: While Heyde is universally famous for toy soldiers, their Nippes line (knick-knack) consisted of stationary desktop novelties, nodders, incense burners, and match holders featuring dogs, cats, and wild animals.
• The Paint Technique: The specific “cold-painted” palette—particularly the high-gloss red studded collar paired with a tricolor coat on the dog, layered over a thick matte-yellow base for the wicker—is a textbook paint schema found across Heyde’s canine line (such as their famous French Bulldogs and terriers).