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Tiffany Japonesque Hand Hammered Inkstand with Applied Bugs & Leaves
Tiffany Japonesque Hand Hammered Inkstand with Applied Bugs & Leaves

Tiffany Japonesque Hand Hammered Inkstand with Applied Bugs & Leaves

By Tiffany & Co.

Located in New York, NY

Japonesque sterling silver ink stand. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1881. Square with concave sides and fluted corners on cast scroll and bead supports. Centrally mounted bal...

Category

Late 19th Century American Japonisme Antique Inkstands

Materials

Sterling Silver

George III Antique Silver Ink Stand
George III Antique Silver Ink Stand

George III Antique Silver Ink Stand

Located in London, GB

with claw feet. Inkstands became a household necessity in the eighteenth century, and this fine example

Category

1770s English George III Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver

Rare Antique Classical Roman Bronze & Glass Inkstand with Crystal Glass Inkwell
Rare Antique Classical Roman Bronze & Glass Inkstand with Crystal Glass Inkwell

Rare Antique Classical Roman Bronze & Glass Inkstand with Crystal Glass Inkwell

Located in Lisse, NL

inkstand dates from the late 19th century and it has a large number of striking Roman emperial style

Category

Late 19th Century French Classical Roman Antique Inkstands

Materials

Crystal, Brass, Bronze

Inkstand
Inkstand

Inkstand

Unavailable|$3,800

Inkstand

Located in Toronto, ON

Choice antique mid 19th century French Boulle Inkstand

Category

19th Century French Antique Inkstands

Materials

Brass

Inkstand
Inkstand

Inkstand

Unavailable|$5,500

Inkstand

Located in Bologna, IT

The inkstand with two glass wells has a central wafer box with taperstick.The oval base is pierced

Category

Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Sterling Silver

Regency Inkstand
Regency Inkstand

Regency Inkstand

Unavailable|$2,500

Regency Inkstand

Located in London, GB

Regency bronze and ormolu mounted Inkstand

Category

19th Century British Regency Antique Inkstands

Materials

Bronze

Executive Brass Inkstand
Executive Brass Inkstand

Executive Brass Inkstand

Unavailable|$1,900

Executive Brass Inkstand

Located in Newport Beach, CA

An overscale heavy cast brass tray with separate hinged stamp box, and two heavy cut crystal ink bottles with separate brass dome lids.

Category

Early 20th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Brass

Italian Pietra Dura Inkstand
Italian Pietra Dura Inkstand

Italian Pietra Dura Inkstand

Located in Mississauga, ON

A late 19th century Italian Pietra Dura inkstand; with two removable blown glass inkwells with

Category

19th Century Italian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Marble, Brass

Fine French Directoire Inkstand
Fine French Directoire Inkstand

Fine French Directoire Inkstand

Located in London, Middlesex

Rectangular white statuary marble inkstand with elaborate gilt bronze mounts applied to the sides

Category

Early 19th Century French Directoire Antique Inkstands

Materials

Bronze

Massive Sterling Silver Inkstand
Massive Sterling Silver Inkstand

Massive Sterling Silver Inkstand

Located in Vancouver, BC

A massive late Victorian sterling silver inkstand by Charles Stuart Harris, hallmarked London 1898

Category

1890s English Antique Inkstands

An Agate Stone Inkstand
An Agate Stone Inkstand

An Agate Stone Inkstand

Unavailable|$2,779

An Agate Stone Inkstand

Located in Madrid, Madrid

An agate stone Neoclassical ink-stand with bronze feet in the shape of lion paws.

Category

19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Inkstands

Victorian Painted Papier Mâché Inkstand
Victorian Painted Papier Mâché Inkstand

Victorian Painted Papier Mâché Inkstand

Located in Windsor, Berkshire

Victorian painted papier mâché inkstand. A beautiful ladies papier mâché inkstand daring with

Category

1850s English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Paper

19th Century English Creamware Inkstand
19th Century English Creamware Inkstand

19th Century English Creamware Inkstand

Located in Boston, MA

19th century English creamware four piece inkstand, circa 1800.

Category

Early 1800s English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Creamware

Continental Bronze Crab Form Inkstand
Continental Bronze Crab Form Inkstand

Continental Bronze Crab Form Inkstand

Located in Mississauga, ON

An early 20th century, Continental bronze inkstand in the form of a crab with glass inkpot.

Category

Mid-19th Century European Napoleon III Antique Inkstands

Materials

Bronze

Antique English Papier Mâché Inkstand
Antique English Papier Mâché Inkstand

Antique English Papier Mâché Inkstand

Located in Port Chester, NY

Antique black papier mâché inkstand ornately hand-painted, with original inkwells, little lidded

Category

19th Century English Antique Inkstands

French Haviland Limoges Porcelain Inkstand
French Haviland Limoges Porcelain Inkstand

French Haviland Limoges Porcelain Inkstand

By Haviland & Co.

Located in Brooklyn, NY

cover. French Haviland Limoges porcelain. Scrolling quadrapodal rectangular inkstand with gilt-molded

Category

Mid-19th Century French Rococo Revival Antique Inkstands

Materials

Porcelain

19th Century English Stationary Box & Inkstand
19th Century English Stationary Box & Inkstand

19th Century English Stationary Box & Inkstand

Located in Salt Lake City, UT

Late 19th century English stationary box and inkstand, consisting of a stationary box with hinged

Category

19th Century Antique Inkstands

Materials

Crystal, Sterling Silver

English Victorian Sheffield Silver Plate Inkstand
English Victorian Sheffield Silver Plate Inkstand

English Victorian Sheffield Silver Plate Inkstand

Located in Brooklyn, NY

English Victorian Sheffield silver plate Inkstand, the rectangular body with pierced trellis to the

Category

1840s Great Britain (UK) Victorian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver Plate

A Victorian oak and glass inkstand.

A Victorian oak and glass inkstand.

Located in New York, NY

A faceted glass inkwell with brass lid on a carved oval oak base with two pen racks.

Category

19th Century British Antique Inkstands

Antique Red Lacquered Chinoiserie and Bronze Inkstand
Antique Red Lacquered Chinoiserie and Bronze Inkstand

Antique Red Lacquered Chinoiserie and Bronze Inkstand

Located in Sheffield, MA

Charming small oval gilded bronze red lacquered chinoiserie inkstand with hinged top revealing the

Category

1860s British Chinoiserie Antique Inkstands

Materials

Metal

Antique Inkstand, Green Marble, Scotland 1900, H562
Antique Inkstand, Green Marble, Scotland 1900, H562

Antique Inkstand, Green Marble, Scotland 1900, H562

Located in Vancouver, BC

Antique Inkstand, Green Marble, Scotland 1900, H562 Scotland 1900 Green Marble Pair of two crystal

Category

Early 1900s Scottish Antique Inkstands

Materials

Marble

19th Century Viennese Inkstand with Three Figures
19th Century Viennese Inkstand with Three Figures

19th Century Viennese Inkstand with Three Figures

Located in Vienna, AT

Two small ormolu and cold painted bottle inkstand Vienna, circa 1810 With three figures on a

Category

1810s Austrian Biedermeier Antique Inkstands

Materials

Bronze

Early 19th Century Portuguese Silver Desk Inkstand
Early 19th Century Portuguese Silver Desk Inkstand

Early 19th Century Portuguese Silver Desk Inkstand

Located in New York, NY

Of unusually small proportions, this inkstand comprises two pen holders, one ink well one sander

Category

1830s Portuguese Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver

George 111 Silver 3 Bottle Inkstand, 1793
George 111 Silver 3 Bottle Inkstand, 1793

George 111 Silver 3 Bottle Inkstand, 1793

By Henry Greenway

Located in London, GB

Good quality Georgian silver inkstand with 2 bottles for ink and one for sanding Made by Henry

Category

1790s English George III Antique Inkstands

Materials

Sterling Silver

Art Nouveau .800 Continental Silver Figural Inkstand
Art Nouveau .800 Continental Silver Figural Inkstand

Art Nouveau .800 Continental Silver Figural Inkstand

Located in Brisbane, Queensland

An early 20th century Art Nouveau .800 continental silver inkstand. The piece depicts a nude woman

Category

Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver

Charles Stuart Harris, Victorian Sterling Silver Inkstand
Charles Stuart Harris, Victorian Sterling Silver Inkstand

Charles Stuart Harris, Victorian Sterling Silver Inkstand

By Charles Stuart Harris

Located in Montreal, Quebec

Victorian sterling silver inkstand. Rectangular form with serpentine outline sitting on four cast

Category

19th Century British Antique Inkstands

18th Century Silver Plate Inkstand, circa 1790
18th Century Silver Plate Inkstand, circa 1790

18th Century Silver Plate Inkstand, circa 1790

Located in Whitburn, GB

. Weight: 808 grams Technical description: An 18th century silver plate inkstand. A pierced fence

Category

Late 18th Century British Georgian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver Plate

French Napoleon III Ormolu and Marble Inkstand
French Napoleon III Ormolu and Marble Inkstand

French Napoleon III Ormolu and Marble Inkstand

Located in Salt Lake City, UT

(Encrier) circa 1840 After the Antoine Cosysevox. Bronze depicting Fame riding Pegasus.      

Category

1840s European Napoleon III Antique Inkstands

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Victorian Ebony and Brass Inlaid ‘Lund’ Desk Inkstand
Victorian Ebony and Brass Inlaid ‘Lund’ Desk Inkstand

Victorian Ebony and Brass Inlaid ‘Lund’ Desk Inkstand

Located in Windsor, Berkshire

Victorian ebony and brass inlaid ‘Lund’ desk inkstand. A striking inkstand dating back to circa

Category

1840s English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Ebony

Vintage Brass Inkwell, Single Inkstand, England 1920, H304
Vintage Brass Inkwell, Single Inkstand, England 1920, H304

Vintage Brass Inkwell, Single Inkstand, England 1920, H304

Located in Vancouver, BC

Vintage Brass Inkwell, Single Inkstand, England 1920, H304 England 1920 Single Inkwell With Brass

Category

1920s English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Brass

A Fine French Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Inkstand
A Fine French Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Inkstand

A Fine French Louis XVI Gilt Bronze Inkstand

Located in Sharon, MA

This elaborate Baroque style inkstand has a fire gilt frame and a pair of raised urns for the

Category

18th Century and Earlier French Antique Inkstands

Regency Rosewood and Inlaid Brass Desk Stand/Inkstand
Regency Rosewood and Inlaid Brass Desk Stand/Inkstand

Regency Rosewood and Inlaid Brass Desk Stand/Inkstand

Located in Suffolk, GB

A superb Regency rosewood and inlaid brass desk Stand / inkstand in excellent original condition

Category

Mid-19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Rosewood

Silver Bell Inkstand, Dated 1913, a & J Zimmermann, Birmingham
Silver Bell Inkstand, Dated 1913, a & J Zimmermann, Birmingham

Silver Bell Inkstand, Dated 1913, a & J Zimmermann, Birmingham

Located in London, GB

Silver bell Inkstand, dated 1913, A & J Zimmermann, Birmingham Large bell shaped inkstand with

Category

1910s English Modern Antique Inkstands

Materials

Sterling Silver

Antique Bronze Inkwell, Ormolu Mounted Inkstand, France 1890, H303
Antique Bronze Inkwell, Ormolu Mounted Inkstand, France 1890, H303

Antique Bronze Inkwell, Ormolu Mounted Inkstand, France 1890, H303

Located in Vancouver, BC

Antique bronze inkwell, Ormolu mounted inkstand, France 1890, H303 France 1890 Bronze Bronze

Category

1890s French Antique Inkstands

Materials

Bronze

Antique Oval Silver Plated Double Inkstand, Scotland 1910, H549
Antique Oval Silver Plated Double Inkstand, Scotland 1910, H549

Antique Oval Silver Plated Double Inkstand, Scotland 1910, H549

Located in Vancouver, BC

Antique Oval Silver Plated Double Inkstand, Scotland 1910, H549 Scotland 1910 Silver plate and

Category

1910s Scottish Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver Plate

Sterling Silver Gilt Victorian Inkstand London 1847 Robert Hennell
Sterling Silver Gilt Victorian Inkstand London 1847 Robert Hennell

Sterling Silver Gilt Victorian Inkstand London 1847 Robert Hennell

By Robert Hennell

Located in 53-64 Chancery Lane, London

A very rare and stylish naturalistic inkstand in the form of a leaf above which sits a bell in the

Category

Mid-19th Century British Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver

Antique Silver Plated Art Nouveau Inkstand, Scotland 1910, H554
Antique Silver Plated Art Nouveau Inkstand, Scotland 1910, H554

Antique Silver Plated Art Nouveau Inkstand, Scotland 1910, H554

Located in Vancouver, BC

Antique silver plated art nouveau inkstand, Scotland 1910, H554 Scotland 1910 Silver plate

Category

1910s Scottish Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver Plate

Wonderful Old Paris Hand Painted Porcelain Inkstand, France, 1880s
Wonderful Old Paris Hand Painted Porcelain Inkstand, France, 1880s

Wonderful Old Paris Hand Painted Porcelain Inkstand, France, 1880s

Located in Haarlem, Noord-Holland

Wonderful Old Paris hand painted porcelain inkstand, France, 1880s Good condition, some minor

Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Inkstands

Materials

Porcelain

French 19th century green marble and gilt bronze inkstand
French 19th century green marble and gilt bronze inkstand

French 19th century green marble and gilt bronze inkstand

Located in Paris, FR

A rectangular green marble and gilt bronze inkstand composed of two inkwells hemmed with fluted

Category

19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Inkstands

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Antique Art Nouveau Inkstand, Wood + Kingwood Inlaid, Scotland, 1900
Antique Art Nouveau Inkstand, Wood + Kingwood Inlaid, Scotland, 1900

Antique Art Nouveau Inkstand, Wood + Kingwood Inlaid, Scotland, 1900

Located in Vancouver, BC

Antique Art Nouveau inkstand, Wood + kingwood inlaid, Scotland 1900, H627 Scotland 1900 Wood

Category

Early 1900s Scottish Antique Inkstands

Materials

Wood

A very fine Minton Porcelain Sévres style Inkstand c.1840
A very fine Minton Porcelain Sévres style Inkstand c.1840

A very fine Minton Porcelain Sévres style Inkstand c.1840

By Minton

Located in Exeter, GB

A beautiful Minton porcelain Inkstand c.1840. The form of this Inkstand is the same basic shape as

Category

19th Century Antique Inkstands

Materials

Porcelain

A superb & rare Flight & Barr, Worcester Porcelain Inkstand c.1800
A superb & rare Flight & Barr, Worcester Porcelain Inkstand c.1800

A superb & rare Flight & Barr, Worcester Porcelain Inkstand c.1800

By Barr, Flight & Barr Worcester

Located in Exeter, GB

A superb & rare Flight & Barr, Worcester Porcelain Inkstand c.1800 - 05. Two flared pockets

Category

19th Century British Antique Inkstands

Materials

Porcelain

Antique Brass Double Inkstand with Pen Holders, Scotland 1900, H548
Antique Brass Double Inkstand with Pen Holders, Scotland 1900, H548

Antique Brass Double Inkstand with Pen Holders, Scotland 1900, H548

Located in Vancouver, BC

Antique brass double inkstand with pen holders, Scotland 1900, H548 Scotland 1900 Brass & glass

Category

Early 1900s Scottish Antique Inkstands

Materials

Brass

Antique Double Inkstand, Linage Blue and Gilt, France, 1900, H565
Antique Double Inkstand, Linage Blue and Gilt, France, 1900, H565

Antique Double Inkstand, Linage Blue and Gilt, France, 1900, H565

Located in Vancouver, BC

Antique double inkstand, linage blue and gilt, France 1900, H565 France 1900 Porcelain Floral

Category

Early 1900s French Antique Inkstands

Materials

Porcelain

19th Century Antique Victorian Silver Plated Novelty Inkstand, circa 1870
19th Century Antique Victorian Silver Plated Novelty Inkstand, circa 1870

19th Century Antique Victorian Silver Plated Novelty Inkstand, circa 1870

Located in 53-64 Chancery Lane, London

A splendid rectangular silver plated novelty dog and kennel themed inkstand. The outer border of

Category

1870s British Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver Plate

Victorian Silver Gilt 19th Century Desk Inkstand, London, 1839, Charles Fox
Victorian Silver Gilt 19th Century Desk Inkstand, London, 1839, Charles Fox

Victorian Silver Gilt 19th Century Desk Inkstand, London, 1839, Charles Fox

By Charles Fox

Located in 53-64 Chancery Lane, London

Victorian antique silver gilt 19th century desk inkstand, London, 1839, Charles Fox. A truly

Category

1830s British Victorian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Sterling Silver

Inkstand in Grès Cérame by Joseph Mendes da Costa, circa 1900
Inkstand in Grès Cérame by Joseph Mendes da Costa, circa 1900

Inkstand in Grès Cérame by Joseph Mendes da Costa, circa 1900

By Joseph Mendes da Costa

Located in Amstelveen, NL

Beautiful inkstand with two inkpots designed by Dutch Art Nouveau artist Joseph Mendes Da Costa

Category

Early 1900s Dutch Art Nouveau Antique Inkstands

Materials

Ceramic

19th Century Antique Spanish Provincial Silver Inkstand Cordoba 1800 M Moreno
19th Century Antique Spanish Provincial Silver Inkstand Cordoba 1800 M Moreno

19th Century Antique Spanish Provincial Silver Inkstand Cordoba 1800 M Moreno

By Manuel Gómez Moreno

Located in 53-64 Chancery Lane, London

An elegant and highly collectable early 19th century Spanish provincial plain formed oval inkstand

Category

Early 1800s Spanish Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver

Chinese Porcelain Lacquer and Gilt Bronze Mounted Inkstand, 19th Century
Chinese Porcelain Lacquer and Gilt Bronze Mounted Inkstand, 19th Century

Chinese Porcelain Lacquer and Gilt Bronze Mounted Inkstand, 19th Century

Located in Redding, CA

With the fabulous cast gilt quill wow! Not original of course but it looks great. Beautiful form and mounted in Rococo, French gilt bronze mounts. The lacquer tray lovely with chry...

Category

Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Inkstands

Materials

Bronze

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Antique Inkstands For Sale on 1stDibs

An assortment of antique inkstands is available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of metal, silver and bronze, all antique inkstands available were constructed with great care. Antique inkstands have been made for many years, and versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 20th Century. Antique inkstands bearing Victorian or Georgian hallmarks are very popular at 1stDibs. Many antique inkstands are appealing in their simplicity, but Walter and John Barnard, Charles Fox and Elkington & Co. produced popular antique inkstands that are worth a look.

How Much are Antique Inkstands?

Antique inkstands can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price at 1stDibs is $2,044, while the lowest priced sells for $76 and the highest can go for as much as $102,083.

Finding the Right Desk-accessories for You

Whether you’ve carved out a space for a nifty home office or you prefer the morning commute, why not dress up your desk with antique and vintage desk accessories? To best tiptoe the line between desk efficiency and desk enjoyment, we suggest adding a touch of the past to your modern-day space.

Desks are a funny thing. Their basic premise has remained the same for quite literally centuries: a flat surface, oftentimes a drawer, and potentially a shelf or two. However, the contents that lay upon the desk? Well, the evolution has been drastic to say the least.

Thank the Victorians for the initial popularity of the paperweight. The Industrial Revolution offered the novel concept of leisure-time to Europeans, giving them more time to take part in the then crucial activity of letter writing. Decorative glass paperweight designs were all the rage, and during the mid-19th-century some of the most popular makers included the French companies of Baccarat, St. Louis and Clichy.

As paper was exceedingly expensive in the early to mid-19th-century, every effort was made to utilize a full sheet of it. Paper knives, which gave way to the modern letter opener, were helpful for cutting paper down to an appropriate size.

Books — those bound volumes of paper, you may recall — used to be common occurrences on desks of yore and where there were books there needed to be bookends. As a luxury item, bookend designs have run the gamut from incorporating ultra-luxurious materials (think marble and Murano glass) to being whimsical desk accompaniments (animal figurines were highly popular choices).

Though the inkwell’s extinction was ushered in by the advent of the ballpoint pen (itself quasi-obsolete at this point), there is still significant charm to be had from placing one of these bauble-like objets in a central spot on one’s desk. You may be surprised to discover the mood-boosting powers an antique — and purposefully empty — inkwell can provide.

The clamor for desk clocks arose as the Industrial Revolution transitioned labor from outdoors to indoors, and allowed for the mass-production of clock parts in factories. Naturally, elaborate designs soon followed and clocks could be found made by artisans and luxury houses like Cartier.

Find antique and vintage desk accessories today on 1stDibs.

Questions About Antique Inkstands
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    An inkwell is a small jar or container made to conveniently hold ink for a writer. Inkwells were often made of glass, pewter, brass or porcelain. You’ll find a variety of inkells from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.