Mandolin Inkstand

Description of the Mandolin Inkstand

• Subject and Theme: The inkstand is designed in a musical theme, dominated by a large, realistically rendered mandolin resting on a sculpted arrangement of sheet music. Scattered beneath the musical scrolls are what might be the ends of crossed pipes, flutes, or drum sticks.
• Inkwell Function: The body of the mandolin serves as the ink reservoir. The hinged cover, shaped like the head and neck of the mandolin, lifts up to reveal the inkwell.
• Pen Tray/Rest: The scrolls of sheet music and the base serve as a natural pen tray or rest for a pen or quill when not in use. The sheet music itself is detailed with musical notation (staff lines, notes, and clefs), showcasing the intricacy of the casting.
• Material and Finish: The piece is made of a cast brass.
• Style: This style is characteristic of Late Victorian or Art Nouveau decorative arts (c. 1880–1910). It falls into the decorative, sentimental, and often naturalistic trend popular in desk accessories of the period.

Origin and Period

• Marking: The critical detail is the mark: “Made in Belgium”. This clearly identifies the country of manufacture.
• Production Era: The “Made in…” marking system was widely adopted following the U.S. McKinley Tariff Act of 1890 and similar international trade regulations, which required imported goods to be clearly marked with their country of origin. Therefore, this piece was likely manufactured and exported sometime after 1890.