L. Paris Porcelain Inkstand

Description:

• Overall Form: It features a square, shallow tray that serves as the base and pen rest. A central ink pot with a flared, bulbous body is permanently fixed to this base.
• Base/Pen Rest: The square base has four corner indentations or openings, which are designed to cradle a pen.
• Inkwell Construction: The ink pot itself has a unique construction:
  • The porcelain pot is encircled by a brass metal collar (a mount).
  • This metal mount holds a hinged metal lid which seals the ink chamber.
  • The lid is operated by a small push-button or tab mechanism on the side of the metal collar.
• Lid Interior: The inside of the hinged lid has a retailer’s paper label, reading partially: L. PARIS ANTIQUE BOUTIQUE (or similar).
• Decoration: The piece is decorated with small, scattered floral bouquets, primarily featuring pink roses and blue accent flowers (like forget-me-nots). The porcelain pot also has subtle horizontal lines painted around the body.
• Painting Technique: The floral designs appear to be hand-painted, evidenced by the distinct brushstrokes, slight variations in petal thickness, and the artistic placement of the small bouquets around the body and on the square tray.

Estimating the Age

This style of mounted inkwell, especially with a hinged, spring-loaded, or push-button lid, was popular for traveling or keeping on small writing desks in the mid-to-late 19th and early 20th centuries.

1. Form and Mechanism: The metal mounting and hinged lid with a closing mechanism suggest a date from the mid-to-late Victorian era extending into the Edwardian era (roughly 1860s–1910s).
2. Decoration Style: The delicate pink rose and blue flower motifs are characteristic of many European porcelain factories—including those in Limoges, Germany (e.g., Dresden), and Austria—during the late 19th century.
3. Retailer’s Mark: The “L. Paris Antique” mark confirms it was sold in a Parisian shop, reinforcing its European origin and suggesting it was likely an established antique or decorative item by the time the label was affixed.

Age Estimate:

Given the style of mounting and the decoration, the most likely age range for this square-based, mounted inkwell is circa 1880 – 1910.