Lusterware Owl Inkwell – Marked Erphila Bavaria

This lusterware owl inkwell is a charming piece of Art Deco design. The owl is predominantly orange with a glossy, iridescent finish, typical of lusterware. The head of the owl lifts off to reveal the inkwell inside. The bottom is marked “Erphila,” “Bavaria,” and “2014,” indicating it was made in Bavaria, Germany, by the Ebeling & Reuss company.

This inkwell is notable for its pen ledge, which distinguishes it from similar Japanese lusterware owl inkwells made by Noritake. The German version’s pen ledge provides a convenient place to rest a pen.

Erphila is a mark used by the Ebeling & Reuss company, an American importer of fine ceramics and porcelain. The name “Erphila” is derived from the first letters of the company founders’ names, Ebeling and Reuss, and the city of Philadelphia, where the company was based. The mark “Erphila Bavaria” indicates that the item was made in Bavaria, a region in Germany known for its high-quality porcelain production. Erphila items were primarily imported to the United States between the late 19th century and the mid-20th century, with a significant amount of production occurring in the 1920s and 1930s.

Link to Noritake owl: Noritake Lusterware Owl – The Society of Inkwell Collectors (SOIC)