Inkwell in the Form of a Bee

Description & Markings

• Construction: The head, thorax, jointed legs, and hinged wings are cast in electroplated silver. The abdomen is turned hardwood with incised concentric rings replicating insect segments.
• Functional Elements: The dual wings pivot upward on a hinge at the base of the thorax to reveal the abdomen. Recessed into the wood is a glazed white porcelain insert, fitted with a turned wooden stopper.
• Hallmarks & Stamps: Stamped directly onto the underside of the hinged wings is the triangular shield mark: Mappin & Webb’s Prince’s Plate / London & Sheffield, accompanied by a letter mark and pattern number W11518.

Original Identity vs. Inkwell Conversion

The metalwork was not originally designed as an inkwell. Pattern W11518 is Mappin & Webb’s famous novelty bee honey/preserve pot, originally produced in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras (circa 1900–1925).

• In the original catalog piece, the abdomen was a blown glass reservoir—most commonly ruby-red, honey-amber, or cobalt glass—meant to hold honey or jam, accessed by lifting the wings and served with a miniature spoon.
• These glass bodies were fragile and frequently cracked or shattered over decades of household use.
• This piece represents an ingenious, high-quality period conversion. A craftsman or woodturner lathed a custom ribbed wooden replacement abdomen to lock into the original silver-plated collar, hollowing out the interior to fit a standard ceramic desk well and wooden plug.

Was It One of a Kind?

• The Metal Casting: Not one of a kind. The silver-plated bee frame, legs, and stamped wings were factory-produced catalog pieces sold in Mappin & Webb’s London and regional showrooms.
• The Inkwell Configuration: Effectively one of a kind. Because Mappin & Webb did not catalog pattern W11518 with a wooden body or as an ink reservoir, this is an aftermarket marriage/adaptation. It transformed a broken luxury tabletop curiosity into a functional desk accessory.

History of Mappin & Webb

• Origins (1775): Founded in Sheffield by Jonathan Mappin as a small silversmithing workshop, quickly expanding as Sheffield became the epicenter of British cutlery and silver plate manufacturing.
• Formation of Mappin & Webb (1860s): John Mappin (Jonathan’s great-grandson) established the modern firm, partnering with his brother-in-law George Webb in the 1860s. They expanded rapidly into high-end retail with luxury showrooms on London’s Oxford Street and Regent Street.
• “Prince’s Plate”: Patented by the firm in the late 19th century, Prince’s Plate was a proprietary electroplating process that deposited a substantially thicker layer of silver over nickel silver than standard EPNS, guaranteed by the maker to match the longevity of sterling silver.
• Royal Warrants & Prestige: Mappin & Webb received its first Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria in 1897 and went on to hold warrants for every subsequent British monarch, eventually serving as Crown Jeweler.