Rookwood Pottery Double Inkstand

This Rookwood Pottery double inkstand, produced in 1926, is a quintessential example of the company’s “Production Ware”—high-quality, mold-formed pieces designed to bring the studio’s artistic excellence to a broader market.

Description

• Design and Form: The inkstand (Model #2978) features a solid, rectangular architectural form with four corner posts and structural ribbing that gives it a balanced presence.
• Color and Glaze: It is finished in a solid matte green glaze, a signature color for Rookwood that was particularly popular during the Arts and Crafts and early Art Deco periods.
• Components:
  • Twin Wells: The top of the stand contains two circular receptacles for ink, each with a matching square, recessed lid featuring a block-style handle.
  • Integrated Pen Tray: The front of the base extends into a wide, curved pen rest.
• The Markings: The underside bears the impressed Rookwood “RP” logo surmounted by 14 flames. Below this is the Roman numeral “XXVI”, which identifies the year of manufacture as 1926, and the model number “2978”.

The Rookwood Pottery Company

Founded in 1880 by Maria Longworth Nichols Storer in Cincinnati, Ohio, Rookwood was the first female-owned large manufacturing enterprise in the United States and became the most famous American art pottery of its time.

• Artistic Innovation: The company was world-renowned for its experimental glazes and was a leader in the American Arts and Crafts movement.
• Historical Context (1926): By the mid-1920s, when this inkstand was made, Rookwood was transitioning its aesthetic to reflect the cleaner, more geometric lines of the emerging Art Deco style.
• Legacy: The company’s pieces from the 1920s remain highly prized for their superior craftsmanship and the timeless quality of their matte glazes.

Summary Table