English Pewter Inkwell with Cabochons

Inkwell Description and Style

This inkwell is an example of late Victorian/Edwardian decorative arts, blending Art Nouveau elements with the principles of the Arts & Crafts movement.

• Material: The main body is pewter, a material highly favored by the Arts & Crafts movement for its soft sheen and contrast with the highly polished silver typical of the Victorian era.
• Design & Form: The inkwell has an organic, sinuous form. The base is an undulating, slightly asymmetrical oval or kidney shape. The body of the inkwell features a low-relief design of swirling, stylized plant motifs—a hallmark of Art Nouveau.
• Cabochons: The piece is decorated with two inset cabochons (smooth, domed, unfaceted ceramic pieces). Given the period and maker, it is likely these are Ruskin Pottery ceramic cabochons. These are highly desirable and were often used by quality metal workers like Hutton and Liberty & Co.
• Arts & Crafts/Art Nouveau Blend: The stylized natural forms and the use of unconventional, semi-precious materials (pewter and Ruskin ceramic) perfectly align with the Arts & Crafts and Art Nouveau styles, which favored handcraftsmanship and nature-inspired designs over industrial formality.

Dating and Identification Marks

The markings on the inkwell provide a timeframe for its manufacture and sale:

William Hutton & Sons Ltd. (The Maker)

• Hallmark: The crossed arrows mark (sometimes seen with two small dots, like a stylized $\times$) is the recognized trademark for William Hutton & Sons.
• Identifier “022OI”: The impressed model or pattern number, “022OI” (sometimes written as “02201” or similar variants), helps date the piece. In the numbering system used by large silver and pewter manufacturers like Hutton, a specific number sequence corresponds to a design that was produced for a limited time. While not a precise date code like a silver hallmark letter, the overall style and these types of numbers point to the early 1900s (circa 1900–1910), the height of the Art Nouveau pewter phase.

Connell Cheapside (The Retailer)

• Full Name: The retailer was Connell, 83 Cheapside, London.
• Significance: Connell was a well-respected London retail jeweler and silversmith known for stocking high-quality items from premier manufacturers. Their association further confirms the quality and period of the inkwell.

The combined evidence points to a manufacture date of circa 1900-1910.

Information on William Hutton & Sons

William Hutton & Sons Ltd. was one of the premier British manufacturers of silver, electroplated wares, and pewter in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

• Founding and Rise: The firm was established by William Hutton in Birmingham in 1800. It later moved to Sheffield, the heart of the British silver and cutlery industry.
• Expansion: They became a limited company in 1893 and were particularly known for their high-quality electroplate (EPNS), although they also produced sterling silver and pewter.
• Key Design Period: The company embraced the Art Nouveau style in the late 1890s and early 1900s, producing a range of stylish, decorative pieces like this inkwell. They often used the sinuous, organic motifs that define the style, and worked with materials like pewter and Ruskin ceramic.
• Legacy: William Hutton & Sons ceased trading as a separate entity in 1930 when the company was taken over by Holland, Aldwinckle & Slater.