Ruffed Grouse Inkstand

Description

• The Subject: The bird depicted here is a Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) or a similar game bird (like a capercaillie or prairie chicken) in a classic mating display. The distinctively fan-shaped tail feathers, the specific patterning on the wings, and the thick crest/plumage on the head are textbook characteristics used in late 19th-century decorative arts to depict a drumming grouse.
• The Metalwork: The sculptural centerpiece features the grouse perched proudly on a naturalistic tree branch adorned with pinecones. The hollow-back construction of the casting is a classic technique used for spelter or cast white metal. This white metal base was then finished with silver plating.
• The Pen Rack: Cleverly integrated into the design are two curved metal hooks extending forward from the base of the branch structure. These serve as a rest to hold a dip pen horizontally.
• The Inkwells: The piece features a matched pair of heavy, square, clear-cut glass inkwells. They are topped with hinged, faceted crystal-style lids secured by silver-plated collars.
• The Base & Mounts: The entire assembly is mounted onto a solid oak base with a simple beveled edge. The inkwells rest securely inside square, twisted-rope patterned metal collars fastened directly into the wood with screws.

Who Made It, Where, and When?

• Where & When: This style of sporting-themed desk set was immensely popular during the late Victorian and Edwardian periods, dating roughly from 1890 to 1910.
• The Manufacturer: While the lack of an obvious stamp on the underside of the wood or the back of the casting means a definitive attribution requires locating a matching catalog record, the design language points directly to the premier American metalwork foundries of Connecticut or New York active at the turn of the century.