Souvenir de Paris Double Inkstand

This “Souvenir de Paris” double inkstand is made from spelter (a zinc-based white metal alloy) and finished with a copper-colored wash to give it a more expensive appearance.

Monument Identification

The inkstand features four of Paris’s most iconic landmarks:

Central Monuments:

•  The Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel): Standing prominently in the center-left.
• The Arc de Triomphe: Situated in the center-right.

Lid Monuments: The circular images on the hinged lids are “souvenir photos” (tinted photographs or chromolithographs) protected under glass.

• Left Lid: Notre-Dame de Paris (the Gothic cathedral’s western facade).
• Right Lid: The Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre (identifiable by its distinctive white domes).

Design & Features

• Structure: The base features a long, curved pen tray along the front and two raised pedestals for the inkwells.
• Hinged Lids: Both lids open on hinges to reveal the original glass inkwell inserts.
• Era: These were most popular between 1900 and 1925, coinciding with the peak of the Belle Époque and the aftermath of the 1900 Paris Exposition.
• Manufacturer: Most were produced by anonymous French foundries. The “photo-under-glass” lid style is a hallmark of French production from this period.

The presence of the original glass inserts and the preservation of the tinted lid photos make this a complete example.