Serpentine Inkwells

ABOUT An original German perpetual desk calendar. Change the day of the week and date by pressing the Bakelite handle on the side. A knob in the back allows you to adjust the date t...

An antique Staffordshire dog, Whippet porcelain inkwell. Circa 1880, England

Art Deco inkwell with original inkwell glass vienna around 1920s. Original inkwell glass. Polished and stove enamelled.  

A Baccarat crystal inkwell with decorated bronze. Circa 19th century, France. The interior is two inches deep and the opening is one inch wide.

An exquisite blend of elegance and functionality, this tortoiseshell double inkwell is a true collector's delight. With its stunning glass inkwells, brass accents, and convenient sto...

Crafted of brilliant doré bronze and fine brocatelle marble, this wonderful Napoleon III-period inkwell is as functional as it is beautiful. In a style reminiscent of Louis XV Rococo...

This is a superb decorative antique Italian Grand Tour marble Pietra Dura mounted desk paperweight, circa 1880 in date. This splendid rectangular paperweight is exquisitely inlai...

19th century French Crystal and Bronze Mounumental Inkwell. Signed. Escalier de Cristal Paris.

Bronze inkwell intricately embossed with scroll work. Features include a pen vest and back tray and double inkwells with griffins on the back gallery. A continental piece possibly Au...

This is a superb decorative antique Italian Grand Tour marble Pietra Dura mounted desk paperweight, circa 1880 in date. This splendid rectangular paperweight is exquisitely inlaid with a sumptuous arrangement of semi-precious stones including malachite, agate, onyx and amethyst. It is beautifully inlaid on a slate base. Not only is this desk paperweight very functional, but it is also an exquisite mineralogical wonder that can be admired by all discerning collectors. Condition: In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation, Dimensions in cm: Height 2 x Width 17 x Depth 10 Dimensions in inches: Height 1 inch x width 7 inches x depth 4 inches. Pietra dura is a term for the inlay technique of using cut and fitted, highly polished coloured stones to create images. It is considered a decorative art. Pietre dure is an Italian plural meaning "hard rocks" or hardstones; the singular pietra dura is also encountered in Italian. In Italian, but not in English, the term embraces all gem engraving and hardstone carving, which is the artistic carving of three-dimensional objects in semi-precious stone, normally from a single piece, for example in Chinese jade. The traditional convention in English has been to use the singular pietra dura just to denote multi-colored inlay work. However, in recent years there has been a trend to use pietre dure as a term for the same thing, but not for all of the techniques it covers, in Italian. But the title of a 2008 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Art of the Royal Court: Treasures in Pietre Dure from the Palaces of Europe used the full Italian sense of the term, probably because they thought that it had greater brand recognition. The material on the website speaks of objects such as a vase in lapis lazuli as being examples of "hardstone carving (pietre dure)" The Victoria & Albert Museum in London uses both versions on its website, but uses pietra dura. "A method of inlaying coloured marbles or semi-precious stones into a stone base, often in geometric or flower patterns...." Giovanni Montelatici...

19th century malachite inkwell. The circular plate for resting a fountain pen houses a crystal inkpot in its center. The plate and the inkpot's stopper are embellished with a gilt bronze cross...

Art Deco or Cubist Bronze sculpture of a French bulldog bookend or paperweight. Made of bronze, mounted over a marble base. Made in France, 19...