Silver Lock-Down Traveling Inkwell

This silver lock-down traveling inkwell is typical of those used during the Regency and early Victorian periods for portability. It features a faceted clear glass body that forms the main ink reservoir.

The most prominent feature is the elaborate top mechanism. A wide, fluted gilded silver band encircles the top of the glass body, providing secure seating for the lid. The lid itself is composed of two main parts: a larger, oval-shaped silver section with a finely etched crosshatch pattern, and a smaller, central circular insert in contrasting gold.

The inkwell is a “lock-down” design, indicated by a prominent locking mechanism. This is visible as a shaped silver lever on one side of the lid, which screws and tightens the lid, ensuring a tight, leak-proof seal when closed for travel. The inkwell is hallmarked for 1827 by Archibald Douglas.