French Boulle Inkstand

This inkstand incorporates the ‘Boulle’ marquetry technique, named after the cabinetmaker to King Louis XIV of France, André-Charles Boulle.  The technique is used to create scrolling arabesque decorations all over through brass inlay in ebonized wood.

This inkstand features a rectangular base adorned with elaborate brass scrollwork and foliage designs along its edges and corners. The central area of the base showcases a large, ornate brass inlay pattern against the dark wood, creating a striking contrast. On top of the base, there are two glass inkwells with brass lids, symmetrically placed on either side of a raised platform that mirrors the intricate design of the base. The ornate legs of the inkstand perhaps represent mythological beings or perhaps “Marianne”, Goddess of Liberty and the national personification of the French Republic.