King of Hanover Inkwell

This exceptional sterling silver inkwell was presented to Henry Morton Stanley, the famed Welsh-American journalist, politician and explorer, on the occasion of his marriage to Dorothy Tennant. The inkwell was a royal gift from the Prince of Wales, the future King George V, and the Princess of Wales. The charming inkstand was designed by Walter & John Barnard for the royal silversmiths Elkington & Co., and no detail was spared in its creation. Each inkwell bears Stanley’s monogram, while the crest of the Prince and Princess adorns the delicately pierced tray. The inscription reads, “To H. M. Stanley on the occasion of his marriage / From the Prince & Princess of Wales / July 12th, 1880.” Born in Wales, Henry Morton Stanley’s lifetime of adventure began at the young age of 15 when he crossed the Atlantic aboard a merchant vessel and jumped ship in New Orleans. The young orphan was taken in by a local merchant named Henry Morton Stanley, whose name he took as his own. Stanley began a career as a journalist and was commissioned by the New York Herald to go to Central Africa in search of the famous missionary David Livingstone...

This extraordinary crystal inkwell from the renowned Baccarat is a piece of exquisite charm and grace. Featuring a doré bronze mermaid languishing upon the crest of a rolling wave, i...

Malachite is one of Russia’s most prestigious stones, and its use in the creation of this rare and opulent inkwell indicates commission and ownership by an individual of considerable status. Wonderful doré bronze accents are the perfect complement to the vivid green stone. Two dipping wells and pen tray make this inkwell as functional as it is beautiful, circa 1890. Dimensions: 18 1/4” wide x 11” deep x 5 1/2” high. The 19th century proved to be the golden age of Russian malachite. The stone became a sign of prestige and a token of wealth so much so that Russian papers of the time wrote: “To afford having a big piece wrought in malachite is synonymous to owning diamonds.” Due to malachite's relatively close proximity, Russian tsars could easily obtain the malachite they needed to decorate their lavish palaces, such as the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, paneling walls and commissioning beautiful inlaid works of art. Year after year the Russian (Romanov) treasury paid increasingly unreasonable prices to hoard the best malachite, much of which went into Romanov palaces and extravagant objects d’art. The Hermitage Museum possesses a collection of over 200 examples of this “palatial” malachite...

This superb inkwell centerpiece dating to the Edwardian era was designed by the legendary Tiffany & Co. Crafted from sterling silver and bronze, this stunning inkwell boasts a comman...

Small bronze inkwell dating from the first part of the 19th century. The lid of the inkwell represents a bed on which a putto is dozing. The whole rests on a rectangular base decorat...

A very unusual porcelain inkwell in the 18th century style, with all three pots intact and a covered lid with a hand-painted porcelain dog. The e...

A Sèvres inkwell in immaculate condition with dorè bronze fittings and a burled wood base on paw feet. With liner. France, circa 1890s.

A 19th century bronze inkwell set on a marble base.