Green Onyx Double Inkstand

This Art Deco double inkstand is from the 1920s to 1930s.

Description

• The Base: The rectangular stand is crafted from a solid slab of polished green onyx (often referred to as Eau de Nil or Algerian green onyx), displaying its characteristic translucent, milky clouding and natural cream/rust veining. The front features a wide, smoothly carved integrated pen trough spanning the length of the stand to hold dip pens.
• The Inkwells: It features two heavy, square, block-form clear crystal or thick cut-glass inkwells. They sit inside stepped, square brass-collared mounts attached to the stone base.
• The Lids: Each glass well is capped with a low-profile, square, hinged lid inlaid with matching polished green onyx inserts, giving the set a streamlined, geometric symmetry.

Style & Eras

• Style: Pure Art Deco. The emphasis on strong geometric shapes (squares, rectangles), clean parallel lines, and the luxurious juxtaposition of polished stone, heavy crystal, and gold-toned metal is hallmark 1920s/1930s executive desk-set styling.
• When was it made? Circa 1925–1935. During this golden age of fountain pens and high-end desk accessories, matching onyx sets (which often originally included a rocker blotter, a letter opener, or a lamp) were the height of fashion for professional offices and luxury libraries.

Manufacturer & Origin

• Where was it made? Most likely Italy or France, though quite possibly imported or assembled by a prominent American desk-accessory manufacturer.
• Who made it? While many of these sets were unsigned or bore simple paper labels on the felt bottom that have worn away over time, prominent makers of this exact style of high-quality stone and metal desk architecture included European exporters (particularly from the stone-carving regions of Italy) as well as American metalwork firms, who frequently sourced Italian onyx bases to fit with heavy domestic glass and brass components.