Lady Bug Inkwell

This is an enameled opal or opaline art glass inkwell with a detailed Lady Bug motif, likely made in Bohemia (present-day Czech Republic) or France during the late 19th or early 20th century (Victorian/Edwardian era).

Description of the Opal Art Glass Inkwell

Glass and Form

• Material: The body is made of opal glass (opaline), a semi-opaque, slightly translucent glass that resembles porcelain or opal gemstone. The glass has a soft, milky white or pale ivory hue.
• Shape: It has a bulbous, globular form and rests on its circular, flat base.
• Lid: It is complete with its original matching opal glass lid, hinged with brass fittings.

Decoration

The inkwell is distinguished by its finely executed enameled decoration.

• Motif: The decoration is highly naturalistic, featuring sprigs of foliage, leaves, and small flowering vines painted around the circumference of the body and on the lid.
• Lady Bugs: A central element is the presence of several Lady Bug (Ladybird Beetle) figures applied over the foliage. The bugs are painted in bright red and black enamels, providing a vibrant contrast to the pale glass body.
• Enameled Work: The details (leaves, flowers, and insects) are applied using raised enamel paint, giving the decoration a tactile, three-dimensional quality known as perle or jeweled enamel work.

Dating and Origin (Bohemia/France)

The style, material, and decoration all point toward production in one of the major European glass centers known for art glass decorative items:

• Date: Late 19th Century (c. 1880) to Early 20th Century (c. 1910). The use of opaline glass for decorative items and the Victorian/Edwardian fondness for naturalistic motifs (especially charming, delicate insects and flowers) places it firmly in this period.
• Origin – Bohemia (Austro-Hungarian Empire): A primary candidate is Bohemian glassmakers (e.g., Moser, Harrach, or smaller factories) in what is now the Czech Republic. Bohemian factories excelled at creating enameled opaline glass decorated with intricate, highly colored naturalistic motifs for the export market.
• Origin – France: French glasshouses also produced a large volume of Opaline or Milk Glass items in this period, often decorated similarly. The quality and style of the enamel work are consistent with French production as well.