19th-Century French Empire Bronze Napoleon Commemorative Inkwell

French Empire (19th Century) steel inkwell with gilt bronze trim with four original glass inserts and a side drawer.

French Empire-style (19th Century) 4 piece bronze inkwell set with swan design. Inkwell, paperweight, pen holder, sandwell for cleaning nibs.(PRICED AS SET...

French Empire style (19th Cent) bronze dore inkwell with perched eagle and acorn finial (signed A. MARIONNETt)

French Victorian bronze square inkwell with 2 cornucopia pen holders.  

The adjustable spyglass with gilt brass trim and original leather case.

These interesting inkwells were crafted in Britain between the Victorian period and early to mid-20th century. The works have been created from horse hooves, applied with sterling silver mounts. Each hoof has been set onto a silver horseshoe and features a silver top and lid. Two of the tops have been engraved to imitate real horse hair, while the third is more simple, with banded ornament. All three have been given covers, two of which feature commemorative inscriptions. One lid states, ‘The Grey/1907-1917’ — presumably the name of the favourite racehorse, whose hoof this is — and another reads, ‘Mavourneen/ Died June 29th / Aged 53’. ‘Mavourneen’ is an Irish Gaelic word meaning ‘my beloved’. The dedicatee’s age of 53 implies that they were a human, perhaps a jokey, or racehorse owner. The lids open up onto a silver-lined interior, intended to be used for storing ink as part of a desk arrangement. The inkwells are stamped, on their underside, with silver hallmarks and maker’s marks, ‘J.T.’ and ‘C & CS’. This set of three horse hoof inkwells...

Silver inkwell with base obtained from a deer hoof. English manufacture of the late 19th century. Good condition, the ink bottle is missing. Measures: cm 6.5 x 10 H 8. Shipping is insured by Lloyd...

The cup shaped cast body decorated with incised ring-turned detail, rising from a waisted & stepped circular foot, together with its original pestle. Combined weight, 3.75 lbs.