Skip to main content

Antique Inkstands

to
39
284
199
385
135
135
127
57
51
38
36
25
23
21
16
16
15
12
12
11
11
10
10
7
6
3
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
4
4
4
3
3
Sort By
19th Century Large Bronze Inkwell Decorated with Fantastic Animals
19th Century Large Bronze Inkwell Decorated with Fantastic Animals

19th Century Large Bronze Inkwell Decorated with Fantastic Animals

Located in Paris, FR

Large patinated bronze inkstand, richly decorated with flowery rinceau, foliages, scrolls and

Category

19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Inkstands

Materials

Bronze

Late 19th Century Portor Black and Gold Marble Base Inkwell
Late 19th Century Portor Black and Gold Marble Base Inkwell

Late 19th Century Portor Black and Gold Marble Base Inkwell

Located in Paris, FR

Extremely Chic black and gold portor marble base inkwell portor marble and silver metal Inkstand

Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Inkstands

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Grand Tour Ormolu Gilt Bronze Dolphin Inkwell Regency Manner Thomas Messenger
Grand Tour Ormolu Gilt Bronze Dolphin Inkwell Regency Manner Thomas Messenger

Grand Tour Ormolu Gilt Bronze Dolphin Inkwell Regency Manner Thomas Messenger

Located in Dublin, Ireland

inkstand Standish of outstanding quality, in the manner of Thomas Messenger. The inverted gilded oval

Category

19th Century English Grand Tour Antique Inkstands

Materials

Ormolu, Bronze

19th Century Gilt Bronze Inkwell Stand Set with Ink Blotter and Candleholder
19th Century Gilt Bronze Inkwell Stand Set with Ink Blotter and Candleholder

19th Century Gilt Bronze Inkwell Stand Set with Ink Blotter and Candleholder

Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE

touch of nostalgia to any desk. Measures: Inkstand: 11" wide / 8" deep / 4" high (28 cm x 21.5cm x 10

Category

Late 19th Century Portuguese Baroque Antique Inkstands

Materials

Bronze

ROBJ Muller Freres Wrought-iron Night- Light / Perfume Burner Lamp 1920
ROBJ Muller Freres Wrought-iron Night- Light / Perfume Burner Lamp 1920

ROBJ Muller Freres Wrought-iron Night- Light / Perfume Burner Lamp 1920

By ROBJ

Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR

, inkstands, and decorative tableware. After Jean Born’s death in 1922, the company was directed by Lucien

Category

1920s French Art Deco Antique Inkstands

Materials

Metal

Large French 19th Century Cast-Iron Fountain Figure of a Seated Nude Maiden
Large French 19th Century Cast-Iron Fountain Figure of a Seated Nude Maiden

Large French 19th Century Cast-Iron Fountain Figure of a Seated Nude Maiden

By J.J. Ducel Me de Forges 1

Located in Los Angeles, CA

proliferation of iron foundries across Europe and America thrived on the production of everything from inkstands

Category

19th Century French Classical Greek Antique Inkstands

Materials

Iron

Massive English Edwardian Cut-Glass and Marble Inkstand 1908
Massive English Edwardian Cut-Glass and Marble Inkstand 1908

Massive English Edwardian Cut-Glass and Marble Inkstand 1908

By Andrew Barrett & Son

Located in New York, NY

Edwardian inkstand. Made by Andrew Barrett & Sons in London in 1908. Cut-glass base. Short neck in

Category

Early 1900s British Edwardian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Marble, Sterling Silver

Regency Inkstand
Regency Inkstand

Regency Inkstand

Sold|$4,850

Regency Inkstand

Located in Sheffield, MA

Regency rosewood and gilded bronze inkstand with robust foliate designs, two glass inset inkwells

Category

19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Bronze

Boulle Inkstand
Boulle Inkstand

Boulle Inkstand

Sold|$1,077

Boulle Inkstand

Located in Northampton, United Kingdom

Boulle Inkstand with decorative gilded Ormolo brass feet, pen holder and carrying handle. To the

Category

Early 20th Century British Antique Inkstands

A Boulle Inkstand
A Boulle Inkstand

A Boulle Inkstand

Located in New York, NY

An exceptional early William IV circular standish in floral boulle marquetry with mother-of-pearl, pewter and tortoiseshell. Each band of marquetry is bordered with a finely chased l...

Category

19th Century Antique Inkstands

Materials

Mother-of-Pearl

Saxony Style Porcelain Inkstand
Saxony Style Porcelain Inkstand

Saxony Style Porcelain Inkstand

Located in Hudson, NY

Saxony Style Porcelain Inkstand, with two covered pots and tray decorated with raised flowers and

Category

19th Century German Antique Inkstands

Materials

Porcelain

Silver-plate Horseshoe Inkstand

Silver-plate Horseshoe Inkstand

Located in New York, NY

Edwardian silver-plated horseshoe inkstand on wooden base with bunn feet and stand for pen

Category

Early 20th Century English Antique Inkstands

La Belle Epoque Inkstand
La Belle Epoque Inkstand

La Belle Epoque Inkstand

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Fine French Stand fashioned in bronze and onyx, with "Art Nouveau" influence. Fitted for two pens.

Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Inkstands

Materials

Onyx, Bronze

English Victorian Papier Mache Inkstand
English Victorian Papier Mache Inkstand

English Victorian Papier Mache Inkstand

Located in Port Chester, NY

Antique black papier mache inkstand ornately painted, with original inkwells.

Category

19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Glass, Papier Mâché

Dore Bronze Eagle Motif Inkstand
Dore Bronze Eagle Motif Inkstand

Dore Bronze Eagle Motif Inkstand

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A stunning and finely cast 19th century French inkstand mounted on a malachite like base.

Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Inkstands

Materials

Bronze

Plutarch's Inkstand Ormolu Desk Inkwell
Plutarch's Inkstand Ormolu Desk Inkwell

Plutarch's Inkstand Ormolu Desk Inkwell

Located in Salisbury, GB

"Plutarch's Inkstand" ormolu desk inkwell, the reverse of the lid engraved with a famous verse of

Category

Early 19th Century Antique Inkstands

Oak and Silverplate Trimmed Inkstand
Oak and Silverplate Trimmed Inkstand

Oak and Silverplate Trimmed Inkstand

Located in New York, NY

Oak and Silverplate Trimmed Inkstand with Two Glass Inkwells and One Drawer, England, Late 19th

Category

19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver Plate

Antique English, Sterling Silver Inkstand
Antique English, Sterling Silver Inkstand

Antique English, Sterling Silver Inkstand

By John Sherwood & Sons 1

Located in New York, NY

Adams style, sterling silver, two bottle inkstand. The oval pierced gallery frame with gadroon

Category

Early 20th Century Great Britain (UK) Adam Style Antique Inkstands

Materials

Sterling Silver

Monumental, Antique Sterling Silver Inkstand
Monumental, Antique Sterling Silver Inkstand

Monumental, Antique Sterling Silver Inkstand

Located in New York, NY

Monumental, Antique English, Sterling Silver Inkstand. Made By D & J Welby, London 1897. This 2

Category

Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Sterling Silver

French Inkstand with Musical Mechanism
French Inkstand with Musical Mechanism

French Inkstand with Musical Mechanism

Located in Vienna, AT

Swiss musical mechanism, signed „Aliberto [?] 33“, with two melodies (selectable), fire gilded brass with mother of pearl and a small mirror. Francois Alibert made musical boxes be...

Category

1820s French Empire Antique Inkstands

Materials

Mother-of-Pearl

Early 19th Century English Regency Inkstand
Early 19th Century English Regency Inkstand

Early 19th Century English Regency Inkstand

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Patina bronze inkstand with dore bronze claw feet and floral plaquette.

Category

19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Rare Glazed Redware Recumbent Hound Inkstands
Rare Glazed Redware Recumbent Hound Inkstands

Rare Glazed Redware Recumbent Hound Inkstands

Located in New York, NY

Rare Early 19th Century Glazed Redware Inkstands in the form of a Recumbent Hound

Category

19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Earthenware

19th C Porphyry & Gilt Bronze Inkstand
19th C Porphyry & Gilt Bronze Inkstand

19th C Porphyry & Gilt Bronze Inkstand

Located in New York, NY

Fine Gilt Bronze-Mounted Porphyry Inkstand in Mottled Brown and White Tones with an Associated

Category

19th Century Antique Inkstands

Materials

Porphyry, Ormolu

Brass Bulldog Inkstand, England, 19th Century
Brass Bulldog Inkstand, England, 19th Century

Brass Bulldog Inkstand, England, 19th Century

Located in New York, NY

Whimsical Brass Inkstand in the Form of a Bulldog with Glass Eyes, Footed Pen Tray, and Top that

Category

19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Brass

Belgium Marble Inkstand. Late 19th C
Belgium Marble Inkstand. Late 19th C

Belgium Marble Inkstand. Late 19th C

Located in New York, NY

Rare Belgium gray marble inkstand. The piece has a inkwell and sander centered by a quill holder

Category

19th Century Belgian Antique Inkstands

Wiener Werkstaette Inkstand by Josef Hoffmann
Wiener Werkstaette Inkstand by Josef Hoffmann

Wiener Werkstaette Inkstand by Josef Hoffmann

By Josef Hoffmann, Wiener Werkstätte

Located in Vienna, AT

This inkstand of the Wiener Werkstaette is listed with number 'M ta 23' in the archives of the

Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Deco Antique Inkstands

Materials

Brass

Victorian Novelty Silver Chaise Longue Inkstand
Victorian Novelty Silver Chaise Longue Inkstand

Victorian Novelty Silver Chaise Longue Inkstand

Located in Sittingbourne, Kent

A Victorian novelty silver Inkstand made in the form of a Chaise Loungue, chased and embossed with

Category

19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver

Fine English Silvered and Sterling Inkstand
Fine English Silvered and Sterling Inkstand

Fine English Silvered and Sterling Inkstand

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Beautiful style and detail with removable inkwells with sterling tops. The stand is raised upon ball and claw feet.

Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver Plate, Sterling Silver

Victorian Stag Double Inkstand, circa 1890
Victorian Stag Double Inkstand, circa 1890

Victorian Stag Double Inkstand, circa 1890

By John Round & Son Ltd. 1

Located in Umberleigh, Devon

A fabulous English Victorian silver plated double ink stand with nicely modelled stag to centre and X2 cut-glass inkwells to either end with flip-up lids. Has scroll decoration to ba...

Category

1890s European Victorian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver Plate

French Gilt Mounted Oriental Lacquer Inkstand

French Gilt Mounted Oriental Lacquer Inkstand

Located in Vancouver, BC

A finely cast and gilded bronze desk set in the Louis XVI style, the lacquer stand Japanese; the gilt bronzes French and the porcelain marked for the Chantilly factory, France; late ...

Category

19th Century Antique Inkstands

Materials

Ormolu

Anglo-Indian Quill Inkstand with Twin Inkwells
Anglo-Indian Quill Inkstand with Twin Inkwells

Anglo-Indian Quill Inkstand with Twin Inkwells

Located in London, GB

Anglo Indian Vizagapatam Quill Inkstand with Twin Inkwells. The base of the inkstand includes a

Category

19th Century Indian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Ebony, Ivory

Regency Ormolu and Gilt Metal Dolphin Inkstand
Regency Ormolu and Gilt Metal Dolphin Inkstand

Regency Ormolu and Gilt Metal Dolphin Inkstand

By Thomas Messenger

Located in Bradford on Avon, GB

Regency ormolu and gilt metal dolphin inkstand in the manner of Thomas Messenger & Sons The

Category

1820s English Regency Antique Inkstands

Materials

Gilt Metal, Ormolu

A Victorian silver plate horseshoe motif inkstand .
A Victorian silver plate horseshoe motif inkstand .

A Victorian silver plate horseshoe motif inkstand .

Located in New York, NY

A Victorian silver plate horseshoe motif inkstand and pen rack fitted with a pair of cut glass

Category

19th Century British Victorian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver Plate

19th Century Egyptian Revival Sienna Marble Inkstand
19th Century Egyptian Revival Sienna Marble Inkstand

19th Century Egyptian Revival Sienna Marble Inkstand

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Visually stunning. The inkstand is adorned with a figure of a Sphinx. Appointed by a pair of

Category

19th Century French Egyptian Revival Antique Inkstands

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Rare Antique Victorian Inkstand of Curling Interest
Rare Antique Victorian Inkstand of Curling Interest

Rare Antique Victorian Inkstand of Curling Interest

Located in New York, NY

Antique English, Sheffield Silver Plated Inkstand With Curling Motif. 2 Ink Bottles, With Glass

Category

Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Inkstands

19TH Century English Letterbox / Lap Desk / Inkstand
19TH Century English Letterbox / Lap Desk / Inkstand

19TH Century English Letterbox / Lap Desk / Inkstand

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A fine 19th Century example fashioned with burl walnut. Superb attention to detail. A versatile and eye-catching piece. The piece has been measured in closed position. .

Category

19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Brass

Oversize Brass Alligator Double Inkstand, England, c. 1875
Oversize Brass Alligator Double Inkstand, England, c. 1875

Oversize Brass Alligator Double Inkstand, England, c. 1875

Located in New York, NY

Oversize Alligator Inkstand in Cast Brass; Hinged Lid Opens to Reveal Double Inkwells. England, c

Category

19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Brass

Palissy Type Inkstand from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Palissy Type Inkstand from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

Palissy Type Inkstand from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

Located in Dallas, TX

Italian majolica Palissy type pottery inkstand in the form of a leaf with fruit, burds and lizard

Category

19th Century Italian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Majolica

Early 19th Century Papier Mache/Mother-of-Pearl Inkstand
Early 19th Century Papier Mache/Mother-of-Pearl Inkstand

Early 19th Century Papier Mache/Mother-of-Pearl Inkstand

Located in East Hampton, NY

An early 19th Century English Inkstand of papier mache and mother-of-pearl with two chrome-capped

Category

19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Mother-of-Pearl, Papier Mâché

Liberty Arts and Crafts Tudric Pewter Inkstand circa 1900
Liberty Arts and Crafts Tudric Pewter Inkstand circa 1900

Liberty Arts and Crafts Tudric Pewter Inkstand circa 1900

By Liberty & Co.

Located in Hallowell, US

Liberty Tudric pewter arts and crafts double inkstand, with hinged inkwells and glass receptacles

Category

Early 1900s American Arts and Crafts Antique Inkstands

Materials

Pewter

Silver Bell Shaped Inkstand Dated 1921, Birmingham, A & J Zimmerman
Silver Bell Shaped Inkstand Dated 1921, Birmingham, A & J Zimmerman

Silver Bell Shaped Inkstand Dated 1921, Birmingham, A & J Zimmerman

Located in London, GB

Silver bell shaped inkstand dated 1921, Birmingham, A & J Zimmerman. Perfect for a small desk

Category

1920s English Georgian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Sterling Silver

Superb Regency Rosewood Inlaid Brass Desk Stand, Inkstand, Boulle
Superb Regency Rosewood Inlaid Brass Desk Stand, Inkstand, Boulle

Superb Regency Rosewood Inlaid Brass Desk Stand, Inkstand, Boulle

Located in Vancouver, BC

England, 1850. All original, very good condition, wear consistent with age. Inlaid with brass boulle to top and perimeter. Large pen tray in front. Two original heavy glass inkwe...

Category

1850s English Antique Inkstands

Materials

Brass

19th Century Chinoiserie Paper Mache Letter Rack or Inkstand
19th Century Chinoiserie Paper Mache Letter Rack or Inkstand

19th Century Chinoiserie Paper Mache Letter Rack or Inkstand

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Finely detailed Chinoiserie penwork. The piece contains two glass inkwells as well as a removable ink blotter.

Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Inkstands

Arthur and Bond Japanese Silver Inkstand, circa 1900, Meiji Period
Arthur and Bond Japanese Silver Inkstand, circa 1900, Meiji Period

Arthur and Bond Japanese Silver Inkstand, circa 1900, Meiji Period

By Arthur & Bond

Located in Gargrave, North Yorkshire

A fine and rare Arthur and Bond of Yokohama, silver inkstand, circa 1900. Meiji Period. The

Category

Early 1900s Japanese Meiji Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver

Late 19th Century Inkwell or Inkstand with Wood, Brass and Glass
Late 19th Century Inkwell or Inkstand with Wood, Brass and Glass

Late 19th Century Inkwell or Inkstand with Wood, Brass and Glass

Located in Raalte, NL

Lovely designed 19th century wooden inkstand or inkwell with glass ink pots and decorated with

Category

Late 19th Century Antique Inkstands

Materials

Bronze

Outrageous Large French Sterling and Etched Crystal Inkstand circa 1900
Outrageous Large French Sterling and Etched Crystal Inkstand circa 1900

Outrageous Large French Sterling and Etched Crystal Inkstand circa 1900

Located in Redding, CA

This is one of the very finest we have ever offered huge and so fine And extremely elegant the work in both glass and silver are the best quality. The design is unique all signed an...

Category

Early 20th Century French Antique Inkstands

Early 20th Century Silver Inkstand, Sheffield, 1908 by Harry Atkin
Early 20th Century Silver Inkstand, Sheffield, 1908 by Harry Atkin

Early 20th Century Silver Inkstand, Sheffield, 1908 by Harry Atkin

By Harry Atkin 1

Located in London, GB

This charming example with its two original glass inkwells; the tray and both lids hallmarked Sheffield, silver, 1908 and makers mark of "HA" for the Atkin Bros, Harry Atkin. The fi...

Category

Early 1900s English Georgian Antique Inkstands

Materials

Silver

A Flight, Barr and Barr Worcester Porcelain Inkstand c.1815-1820
A Flight, Barr and Barr Worcester Porcelain Inkstand c.1815-1820

A Flight, Barr and Barr Worcester Porcelain Inkstand c.1815-1820

By Flight, Barr & Barr Worcester

Located in Exeter, GB

A Flight, Barr and Barr Worcester porcelain inkstand and two covers, c.1815-20. Two fixed inkwells

Category

19th Century Antique Inkstands

Materials

Porcelain

  • 1
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Antique Inkstands", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

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.