“Eureka” Pen Cleaner & Inkwell

This is a fascinating example of a specialized 19th-century desk accessory, the “Eureka” Pen Cleaner & Ink-Well Combined.

Here is the available information related to this inkstand, including the material, the function of the pen cleaner, and the manufacturer’s history and patent.

Eureka Pen Cleaner & Ink-Well Combined

1. Material Identification (Pottery/Basalt)

With its matte finish, the fine detailing in the casting, and the historical context of similar desk items, this inkstand is most likely made of:

• Black Basalt Ware (or a similar unglazed stoneware). This fine, dense pottery was popularized by Josiah Wedgwood in the 18th century and remained popular for high-quality, neoclassical desk accessories and utilitarian wares throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.
• The material is a type of fine stoneware, giving it the durability.

2. Pen Cleaner Function

The lack of bristles confirms a key feature of this specific patented design, which uses a different, less common method for cleaning nibs:

• The “Eureka” Pen Cleaner Principle: The patent drawings for this type of inkstand reveal that the lidded compartments were designed to clean the pen nib using soft, absorbent wadding, sponge, or felt—not bristles.
  • The liquid (usually water, or water mixed with a mild cleaning agent) was put into the compartments, where it saturated the absorbent material.
  • The user would insert the ink-stained nib into the hole and draw it across the wet wadding or felt to wipe the excess ink clean.
• Stains: The fact that one compartment has red ink stains and the other has blue ink stains suggests the user designated each cleaner for a different color ink, preventing mixing. This dual-cleaner design was a practical feature of the “Combined” unit.

3. Patent Information

Here are the two patents protecting this “Eureka” inkstand, backed by multiple historical and contemporary catalog verifications:

The official record for U.S. Patent 341,200 (May 4, 1886) is unequivocally titled “Pen-Cleaner” and was assigned to the Smith Bro’s Mfg. Co. It is the correct original utility patent for the non-brush, absorbent cleaning mechanism used in this inkstand.

This inkstand is an example of a patent being protected by two contemporaneous filings from the same manufacturer:

1. D16,666: Protects the unique ornamental design of the ceramic base and the combination of the wells and cleaners.
2. 341,200: Protects the innovative function of the pen cleaner itself (the sponge/felt mechanism).
3. Smith Bro’s Mfg Co, Passaic, N.J.

Information on the Smith Bro’s Mfg Co. (Smith Brothers Manufacturing Company) is primarily connected to their patented “Eureka” inkstand and pen cleaner line.

• Location: Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.A.
• Product Focus: The company was known for producing a line of stationery and desk items, with their main product being the “Eureka” Pen Cleaner and Inkstand in its various patented forms.
• Time Period: The company operated in the late 19th century, coinciding directly with the 1886 patent date. Their peak production and advertising for the “Eureka” cleaner was during the 1880s and 1890s, which aligns with the Victorian-era design and the use of the Black Basalt material.
• Historical Context: During this period, numerous American inventors and small companies were racing to create the “perfect” solution for desk-writing frustrations, like blotting and pen-cleaning, before the widespread adoption of the fountain pen (which eventually rendered most pen wipes and cleaners obsolete). Smith Bro’s Mfg Co. was one of many small manufacturers capitalizing on this market.