Puppy on a Basket

Detailed Description

1. Subject & Form

• The Figure: Perched atop the piece is a small terrier or puppy, rendered with an expressive posture and endearing facial detail. It wears a bright blue painted collar around its neck. The coat is painted white with distinctive black and brown patches over its head, ears, and tail area.
• The Top Surface: The puppy sits on top of a woven basket structure. Resting diagonally across the top of the basket directly in front of the dog are two carefully cast walking accessories—a classic crook-handle cane and a straight walking stick with a curved end, overlapping each other.
• The Base: The body of the inkwell is cast in full relief to mimic a rectangular woven wicker or reed hamper, complete with raised, woven side handles on the ends and simulated rope-braid borders along the top and bottom margins. It is finished in mottled green and olive-toned cold paint.

2. Functional Details & Interior

• Hinged Reservoir: The lid of the basket is hinged along the upper back edge, allowing the entire top section (including the dog and walking sticks) to flip back.
• Interior & Insert: Opening the hinged lid reveals a plain, flat green metal top surface framing a central well. The well holds a removable white ceramic/porcelain insert ring (showing vivid historical purple ink stains around the inner rim and well).

Where & When it Was Made

• Maker: Georg Heyde & Co.
• Location: Dresden, Germany
• Date: Early 20th Century (typically dating from the 1910s to the 1930s)

Heyde & Co. Attribution

The attribution of this inkwell to Georg Heyde & Co. comes from historical design matching, manufacturing characteristics, and specialty dealer listings rather than a permanent factory signature (as Heyde items were notoriously unmarked or simply stamped “Germany” or “Depose/Protected”).

• The Material & Base Construction: Heyde specialized in casting heavy, crisp-detailed lead/spelter alloys. If you flip the inkwell over, the inset sheet-metal base plate crimped into the heavier cast basket frame is a signature assembly technique used by the Dresden factory to enclose their hollow-cast inkwell bases.
• The “Nippes” Style: While Heyde is universally famous for toy soldiers, their Nippes line (knick-knack) consisted of stationary desktop novelties, nodders, incense burners, and match holders featuring dogs, cats, and wild animals.
• The Paint Technique: The specific “cold-painted” palette—particularly the high-gloss blue collar paired with a tricolor coat on the dog, layered over a thick mottled green base for the wicker—is a textbook paint schema found across Heyde’s canine line (such as their famous French Bulldogs and terriers).

Compare with this Inkipedia entry: Dachshund Sitting on a Basket – The Society of Inkwell Collectors (SOIC)