Pressed Glass Double Inkstand

This double inkstand is made of clear pressed glass. The base is rectangular, with two wells to hold the ink. The inkstand is made to hold a pens with its semi-circular grooves on the sides and in front.

Each of the two inkwells is covered by a metal hinged lid. The lids are painted to indicate the color of the ink inside: one lid is red and the other is black. This was a common feature that allowed users to easily identify which inkwell contained red ink for headings, underlining, debiting, and which contained black ink for writing.

The piece is a quintessential example of American pressed glass from the late 19th or early 20th century. The method of pressing molten glass into a mold was a technique perfected in the United States, allowing for the mass production of affordable yet attractive glassware.