French Art Glass Inkwell

This is a fine example of a late 19th-century French art glass inkwell. The combination of the specific tiered form, vibrant ruby color, and high-quality metalwork suggests it was produced by a premier French crystal house, most likely Baccarat or Saint-Louis.

Description of the Inkwell

• Material & Form: The body is crafted from “gold ruby” glass (achieved by adding gold chloride to the glass batch), which gives it a deep, rich red hue. It features a beehive or tiered bell shape, a classic late Victorian design characterized by three distinct levels that taper toward the top.
• Lid & Mount: The inkwell is fitted with an ornate, cast brass (or possibly gilt bronze/ormolu) hinged lid. The collar and lid are decorated with scrolling leaf and foliate motifs.
• Finial: The lid is topped with a prominent berry-cluster finial, often described as a “raspberry” or “mulberry” motif.
• Interior: The piece contains a clear glass ink insert.
• Base: The base features a polished pontil, a sign of high-quality hand-blown glass that has been ground flat and polished to a mirror-like finish.

Origin and Identification

• Where it was made: This inkwell was made in France.
• Who made it: While it lacks a stamped factory name, the hand-engraved number “9789” on the base is a strong indicator of a major French manufacturer. High-end houses like Baccarat and Saint-Louis traditionally used this kind of hand-engraved inventory or pattern numbers to track their more expensive desk accessories. The quality of the cast metal and the richness of the ruby glass are hallmark characteristics of Baccarat’s work during this period.
• How old it is: This piece dates to the late 19th century, approximately 1880–1900. This era (spanning the late Napoléon III to the Belle Époque) saw a high demand for luxurious, brightly colored glass desk sets with heavy gilt-metal mounts.

Note: The number 9789 is likely a pattern or catalog number rather than a piece count. If you were to find a Baccarat trade catalog from the 1890s, you would likely find this specific tiered form listed under that numeric series.