Inkstand with Built-in Calendar

This is a dual-purpose desktop inkstand, made from brass, that has acquired a rich, dark finish over time.

Overall Form: The inkstand has a rectangular top platform and a curved, scroll-like front panel that serves as a pen tray.

• Inkwells: On the top platform, there are two circular inkwells positioned on the left and right sides, each covered by hinged, circular metal lids.
• Central Compartment: In the middle of the top platform, between the two inkwells, is a rectangular compartment with a hinged lid. This lid, when open, reveals a shallow interior with a strike plate on the underside of the lid. This suggests this compartment was designed to hold matches, making it a combined inkstand and match safe/striker.
• Perpetual Calendar: A perpetual calendar is integrated into the curved front panel. It has three distinct display windows:
  • The left window for the day of the week.
  • The central window for the date.
  • The right window for the month. These displays are adjusted by turning the small, knurled metal knobs located on the top platform, directly above each calendar window.

Adolph Frankau & Co.:

Adolph Frankau & Co. was a significant player in the London fancy goods and smoking accessories market from the mid-19th century through the early 20th century.

• Business Profile: They operated as both a manufacturer and a merchant/importer. This means they produced some items in their own workshops and also sourced a wide array of goods from other manufacturers (both domestic and international), which they then distributed under their own name. This was a common business model for large wholesalers of the era.
• Specialization: While they dealt in a diverse range of items, they achieved particular prominence in the tobacco and smoking accessories trade. They were major importers of briar pipes from France (initially under the “G.B.D.” brand, which they later effectively controlled) and eventually became one of Britain’s largest manufacturers of briar pipes themselves. Their range included cigar and cigarette cases, lighters, match safes, and other related items. The presence of a match strike plate on this inkstand aligns well with their known product lines.
• Address: “121 Queen Victoria Street, London” was a prominent commercial address, indicating a substantial business operation located in a key trading area of the city.
• Mark: This mark inside the match holder is a stylized “AF & Co” within a shield or cartouche shape. The “AF” is quite clear, and the “& Co” seems to be intertwined or placed below.