Rococo Revival Double Inkstand

Description

1. The Brass Inkstand

• Material & Style: Heavy cast brass designed in the ornate Rococo Revival style. The piece sits on four scrolled acanthus-leaf feet.
• Apron & Borders: The front, back, and side galleries feature deep, pierced C-scrolls, sweeping foliage, and a prominent stylized shell motif (rocaille) centered on both the front apron and the raised back gallery.
• Side Handles: The stylized, sweeping side borders double as functional handles for moving the desk set.

2. The Inkwells

• Glass: Flanking the center are two heavy, clear, square cut-glass inkwells. The glass is thick and faceted with a round interior well to hold the ink.
• Molded Receivers: These inkwells sit perfectly into integrated, decorative square frames cast right into the brass base tray.
• Lids: Each glass well is topped with a removable, circular cast-brass lid featuring a dense floral and radiating leaf pattern, finished with a classic turned finial knob.

3. Central Covered Vessel

• Purpose: Located exactly in the center is a matching pedestal cup. In the 19th century, this central bowl typically served as a wafer container, stamp box, or sponge cup (used for dampening stamps or cleaning pen nibs).
• Lid Detail: It is fitted with a large, matching dome-shaped lid decorated with radiating fluting and a swirling foliage pattern. The underside shows traditional period assembly, featuring a large slot screw securing the top finial.

Origin, Maker, & Era

• Where was it made? Most likely France, England, or the United States. Decorative cast-brass desk sets of this exact style were popular across Europe and America in the late 19th century.
• Who made it? Because it is completely unmarked (lacking a foundry stamp, maker’s initials, or a design registry number), the exact maker cannot be identified. During the late 1800s, numerous prominent commercial foundries produced high-quality decorative brassware for the standard consumer market.
• When was it made? Circa 1870s–1890s. The elaborate historicist molding, the specific combination of cut glass with cast brass, and the internal slot-screw assembly are characteristic of late-19th-century manufacturing.