Gilt Inkwells

A most impressive fine quality antique Louis XV style French ormolu encrier / inkstand. Born in France in the 19th century, almost certainly Parisian work, exquisitely chased, chis...

Art Deco full desk set in marble and brass, France, 1930s. Composed by: 2 Inkwells W 29.5 cm x D 18.5cm x H 8 cm Ashtray W 14 cm x D 14 cm x H 4 cm Envel...

We would like to present you with this magnificent 19th-century Empire-style inkwell from the Napoleon III era adorned with a raised imperial eagle motif positioned between the two i...

A very rare and important exhibition encrier by François Linke and Léon Messagé. French, circa 1900. Index number 709. Signed to the edge 'F. Linke'. This exceptional and ambitious encrier is modelled as two putti, each holding a standard and sitting on the water's edge, the two inkwells with hinged spirally-fluted covers with glass liners. This important inkwell is based on Léon Messagé's celebrated sculptural group 'La Source' and was originally intended by Linke to form part of his spectacular Stand at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. Like seven or eight other pieces originally intended for inclusion on the Stand, it would seem the encrier was a casualty of both Linke's over-ambitious production schedule and the financial burden that the manufacture of such ornate and high quality work imposed. It was eventually shown on the Stand in September after the gilding was finished by Picard at a cost of 90 French francs. The costs of the model were very high: some 2024 francs (of which Message's combined fee was 1158 francs 40 centimes), underlining the originality and complexity. The 1900 Exposition example was sold, along with three important pieces of furniture from the Stand (the Grand bureau and associated armchair, and the Bahut Louis XV Mars et Vénus), to the South African banker and diamond merchant Solomon Joel. A further six encriers were produced up until 1925. Object Literature: Payne, Christopher. François Linke, 1855-1946, The Belle Époque of French Furniture, p. 90, pl. 97; p. 149, pl. 157; p. 150; pp. 182-183, pls 197 & 198 as exhibited at the Liege exhibition in 1905 & p. 480 for the original notes in Linke's Blue daybook of the late 1890s. François Linke (1855 - 1946) was the most important Parisian cabinet maker of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and possibly the most sought after cabinet maker of his period. He was born in 1855 in the small village of Pankraz, in what is now the Czech Republic. Records show that Linke served an apprenticeship with the master cabinetmaker Neumann, then in 1875 at the age of 20 he arrived in Paris where he lived until he died in 1946. It is known that the fledgling Linke workshops were active in Paris in the Faubourg St. Antoine as early as 1881, and during this time he supplied furniture for other more established makers such as Jansen and Krieger. The quality of Linke's craftsmanship was unsurpassed by any of his contemporaries and reached its peak with his spectacular Stand at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1900, where his Grand Bureau took the Gold Medal. He gambled his fortune and reputation on this Stand, exhibiting several breathtaking items of furniture with sculptural mounts of the most exceptional quality and proportion. His gamble worked and his reputation was established to such an extent that Linke continued to be the pre-eminent furniture house in Paris until the Second World War. As the Art Journal reported in 1900 on Linke's Stand: 'The work of M. Linke ... was an example of what can be done by seeking inspiration amongst the Classic examples of Louis XV and XVI without in any great sense copying these great works. M. Linke's work was original in the true sense of the word, and as such commended itself to the intelligent seeker after the really artistic things of the Exhibition. Wonderful talent was employed in producing the magnificent pieces of furniture displayed....' The formation of Linke's distinctive style was made possible by his collaboration with the sculptor Léon Messagé. Together Linke and Messagé designed furniture for Linke's 1900 exhibition Stand, with exuberant allegorical figures cast in high relief, that exemplified Linke's ability to seamlessly merge the different mediums of wood carving, bronze and marquetry into a dynamic unified whole. Today Linke is best known for the exceptionally high quality of his work, as well as his individualism and inventiveness. All of his work has the finest, most lavish mounts, very often applied to comparatively simple carcasses. The technical brilliance of his work and the artistic change that it represented were never to be repeated. Bibliography: Payne, Christopher. François Linke, (1855 - 1946), The Belle Époque of French Furniture, Antique Collectors' Club, (Woodbridge, UK), 2003. Meyer, Jonathan. Great Exhibitions - London, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, 1851-1900, Antique Collectors' Club, (Woodbridge, UK), 2006; pp. 298 - 300. LeDoux - Lebard, Denise. Les Ébénistes du XIXe siècle, Les Editions de l'Amateur, (Paris), 1984; pp. 439-43. Revue Artistique & Industrielle, (Paris), July-August 1900. Coral Thomsen, D. (ed), The Paris Exhibition 1900, The Art Journal, 1901; p.341. Léon Messagé (1842-1901) had a brilliant, but short lived career. He is best known for his incredible sculptural collaboration with François Linke for the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. A gifted sculptor, Messagé was also responsible for much of the design and creative work for Roux et Brunet and Joseph-Emmanuel Zwiener. Messagé enjoyed great success as a designer/sculptor before his collaboration with Linke. Indeed he was mentioned as a Gold Medal winner at the 1889 International Exhibition and was especially praised for his work on a cabinet by Zwiener. He came into contact with Linke in 1885 and it appears from then on Linke employed him on a regular basis. Messagé was primarily influenced by Rococo ornament but he strove to re-interpret it. He did not produce slavish copies, and his original approach can be appreciated in Linke's celebrated Grande Bibliothèque and Grand Bureau exhibited at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. A number of drawings by Messagé are recorded and after his success at the exhibition of 1889 he was encouraged to publish his designs. 'Cahier...

Small inkwell crafted in porcelain, the paunch and lid decorated with a frieze of polychromatic floral motives highlighted with gold. The lid topped by a pine cone finial features a ...

Rare and important French Napoleonic ink stand with female sculpture. This hand-crafted and sizable ink stand of marble and gilt bronze is signed by the renowned French sculptor Mar...

French Louis XIV Style Gilt Bronze Foliate Form Inkwell 20thC Measures- 2.75''H x 7.5''W x 5.75''D

Antique French Sevrés inkwell offers porcelain construction in shaped form and having hand painted floral decoration and reserve with a bird, gilt highl...

Ecritoire Art Déco en bronze et bois de corail. Les encriers, vide poche, presse papier, cachet à cire, coupe papier, base en bois de corail. Bronze à décor ciselé : femme danseuse ...

Beautiful antique inkwell with Cloisonné-Enamel, France circa 1880.

Beautiful Art Nouveau Inkwell from France, 1900- 1920s. This special inkwell is decorated all over with typical Art Nouveau ornaments. The attention to detail is reflected in the pen...

Beautiful antique inkwell with Cloisonné-Enamel, France circa 1880. Stamped at the bottom "M B 5 9".

Porcelain and bronze inkwell in the taste of Asian Art. Inkwell decorated with a Buddha in white porcelain on a red lacquer tray mounted with gilt bronze and inkwells in porcelain a...

This stunning enamel, silvered metal, and gilt metal "Pavot" inkwell by Eugène Feuillâtre features peacock feather embellishments. The Inkwell lies under the gilded and silvered metal poppy seed pod lid, to which the title pavot (translated to English as poppy) refers. The vessel is vaguely pumpkin-shaped with negative space in a honeydew green, with white peacock feathers featuring purple and turquoise details. Product Details: Item #: S-21164 Artist: Eugène Feuillâtre Country: France Circa: 1900 Dimensions: 2.25" height, 3.5" diameter Materials: Enamel, Silvered Metal, Gilt Metal Signed: impressed Feuillâtre Exhibition History: Examples of this inkwell can be found in the permanent collections of Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, Geneva (inv. no. E 01500), Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (inv. no. 8746), and Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg (inv. no. 1966.1). Salon des Artistes français, 1898. Literature: L. Bénédite, et. al., "Exposition Universelle de 1900: Les Beaux-Arts et les Arts Decoratifs," Gazette des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1900, p. 510 (for a related example). H. Frantz, "E. Feuillatre, Emailleur," L’Art Décoratif, no. 28, Paris, January 1901, p. 166 (for a related example). C. Saunier, "Céramique, Verrerie, Émail," L’Art Décoratif, no. 34, Paris, July 1901, p. 155 (for a related example). R. Marx, La Décoration et les Industries d'Art à l'Exposition Universelle de 1900, Paris, 1901, p. 95 (for a related example). M. P. Verneuil, "L'Émail et les Émailleures," Art et Décoration, no. 2, Paris, February 1904, pp. 37-39 (for a related example). M. Rheims, L'Objet 1900, Paris, 1964, p. 34, no. 18 (for a related example). P. Garner, ed., The Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts 1890-1940, New York, 1978, p. 95 (for a related example). Die Jugendstil - Sammlung: Band 1: Künstler A-F, exh. cat., Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, 1979, pp. 465-466, cat. no. 655. A. Duncan, The Paris Salons 1895-1914, Volume V: Objets d'Art & Metalware, Suffolk, 1994, p. 252 (for related examples). G. de Bartha, L'Art 1900: La Collection Neumann, New York, 1994, p. 128 (for a related example). J. T. Busch and C. L. Futter, Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs, 1851-1939, exh. cat., Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, 2012, p. 196, no. 9 (for a related example). Macklowe Gallery Curator's Notes: Eugène Feuillâtre’s career began in René Lalique’s enamelling...

Enamel cloissoné and gilt bronze inkwell. France, late 19th century.

The crescent shaped & dished ‘verdi alpi’ marble base affixed with a pair of lidded gilt bronze inkpots (glass inkwells absent), decorated with fine engine turned detail, flanking a ...

Sculptural Bronze Free-form Inkwell from a New York Socialite Estate Offered for sale is a sculptural bronze free-form inkwell from the estate of a New York socialite. She had mult...

Richly chiseled and gilded bronze inkwell. Basin with lion's mouth, arched feet with scrolls and acanthus leaves, resting on an oval marble base rimmed with bronze. 19th century peri...

Opaline and Brass inkwell by Tiffany Studio, Early 20th Century. Gilded brass and opaline inkwell by Tiffany Studio, early 20th century, Art Nouveau p...

Place this elegant antique inkwell in a man’s office or study. Created in France, circa 1880, and built of spelter, the desk accessory sits on five small d...

This 19th-century gilded inkwell is a captivating piece of artistry, masterfully crafted to depict a charming bulldog tethered to a rustic tree stump. W...

A fine Tiffany Studios gilt bronze inkwell. In the Zodiac pattern. Model no. 1072. Simply iconic Tiffany design! Date: Early 20th Century Overall Condition: It is in overall goo...

Gilt Art Nouveau Portrait Casket Double Inkwell WMF (Attrib.) Germany, Circa 1900s Attributed to WMF” Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik A gilt Art Nouveau portrait casket double i...

An Encrier set with richly-veined Verde Antico marble base mounted with pair gilt-bronze inkwells flanked on either side of a Napolean bust. The marble base with pen tray rest on sh...

This piece of nineteenth-century French elegance is sure to be the envy of any collector. The Napoleon III gilt bronze inkwell is a prized find, crafted in circa 1840 France with int...

Onyx, Champlevé and Gilt Bronze Inkwell, France, circa 1890.

Cartier 'Must de Cartier' Crystal Gilt and Silver Mellon Inkwell France, Circa 1989 Cartier 'Must de Cartier' crystal gilt and silver mellon inkwell, made in France around 1989. This understated inkwell is a true representation of Cartier's renowned elegance and exquisite craftsmanship. The inkwell features a stunning crystal body with an opalescent lift top adorned with silver and gilt metal mounts, adding a luminous touch to the piece. The top lid is fully marked with numerous Cartier hallmarks, signifying its authenticity and origin from Cartier. The front of the melon-shaped crystal is elegantly enameled with the iconic Cartier logo in gilt enamel. Whether displayed on a writing desk or as a part of an exquisite collection, this Cartier inkwell...

This wonderfully detailed bronze inkstand is of unusably small proportions and was made to compliment a lady's writing table most likely. It is of an oval form with a moulded base which is mounted with a detailed bronze study of a rural scene of a young man harvesting corn with a sickle. The bushels of corn hide the inkpot which hinges back to reveal a white porcelain container...

Beautiful antique inkwell, made from glass with brass. France, circa 1880.

Antique inkwell from gilded brass. France, 1840-1860.

Charming Ink Well/Inkstand in the shape of man's head, painted white metal and patinated wood. Made in England during the 19th century. A simply charming inkstand consists of a a pa...

Unique Victorian English silverplate inkwell in the form of a horseshoe with hooves and lids with riding caps. Apparently unsigned. I unique collectible in ...

This stylish and chic marble and bronze inkwell stand dates to the late 1820s during the reign of the French king Charles X. The base is fabricated in hand-carved marble, and the two inkwells are in bronze dore. Note: One of the inkwells is missing its green glass pot...

"Nice inkwell of the 19th century with its two ink receptacles and the stamp holder" Inkwell, Napoleon III period, gilt bronze and glass, 19th century, with its two ink receptacle...

Exceptional antique Inkwell with rich bronze ornaments and three ceramic vessels. The ink jars are painted in a beautiful rich green and embellished with gold colour. France, circa...

Exceptional inkwell with pen tray made of BACCARAT crystal. The rectangular pen tray has a cube-shaped inkwell holder in the center, closed with a gild...

"Double inkwell of the XIXth Century in gilded bronze" Important double inkwell, Napoleon III period, gilded bronze with nice neo-classical decorations, XIXth century. H: 12cm, W...

"Inkwell of the XIXth Century in gilded bronze" Inkwell, Napoleon III period, gilt bronze, 19th century. H: 15cm, W: 21cm, D: 14,5cm.

Antique French Rococo style gilt pewter and porcelain inkwell from circa 1900, marked "Chatelain". This beautifully shaped gilt pewter inkwell is adorned with flowers in the center ...

Great fun for a gardening afficionado - a delightful desk accessory wether you're planning a beautiful garden, tending a beehive, ordering new seeds for the season or wish for a an uplifting reminder at your work space of the bounty and beauty of nature... France, 19th century This fabulous antique French gilt bronze inkstand has a beehive central well with a hay stack cover, several bees on the surface, flanked by two bronze baskets with covers laden with fruit, flowers and wheat sheaves, at the base of one sits a bird leaning over a large basket with a container for sand in the shape of a large bunch of wheat tied with a rope and a bird perched on top as a cover. The back of this fantasy is composed of a group of garden implements which include a sickle, a spade, a trowel, a scythe, ring pliers and a pitch fork tied with an attractive bow and hung with garlands of flowers, masses of grapes, wheat forming a support for a quill. The base designed as naturalistic wood logs topped with rustic wood...

Inkwell in yellow Siena marble with a gilt bronze bust of Napoleon at the top. On the sides, gilded bronze inkwells with finely chiseled fret decorations and leafy scrolls. The inkwe...

A very fine, rare and unusual antique English Derby partners porcelain inkwell and quill pen holder decorated in the Imari pattern and dating from the early ...

Decorate a man's desk or study with this elegant antique inkwell; crafted in Belgium, circa 1880, the desk accessory stands on scroll feet over a scalloped apron, and features intric...

A stunning and rare French mid-19th century encier in Louis Revival taste with Moorish Arabesque influence. Handcrafted in Champlevé enameled gilt bronze with ornate and colorful blue, pink, red, green and white enameling over the heavily shaped and scalloped base, that borders the stunning Severes style (I have not removed it to check for a makers mark) enameled porcelain tray scene of frolicking putti. The stunning enameling continues on the raised inkwell body and hinged lid with finial. Opposite, two raised balls act as a pen rest, the inkstand raising on four ball feet. Similar to French cloisonne, each champlevé design is a one-of-a-kind work of art. A beautiful warm verdigris patina adds to its character and charm. This wonderful antique objet...

Inkwell in red Griotte marble and gilt bronze representing an allegory of writing by Henri Chapu (1833-1891). This old 19th century inkstand is ...

19th C. Antique writing stand desk Office Inkwell Center Piece Chinese Porcelain . This beautiful garniture on a desk a table or a console will a...

Inkwell in agate set in a vermeil mount. The agate cut is closed by a finely chiseled lid of foliage patterns and whose grip is adorned with a head of putti. The handle, which is dec...

A very nice late 19th century bronze and marble 3 piece desk set. The large Chinese designed rectangular desk set centered with a bronze crane and two ...

Portuguese Baroque style solid gilt bronze desk set of double inkwell Stand, ink blotter and candleholder, Portugal 1870-1880 All three pieces richly decorated with foliage features,...

A Rare and Marvelous Signed Baccarat Crystal Nautical Inkwell with a Dore Bronze Maiden and Patinated and Dore Bronze Ink Pots. The body is made up of...

French inkwell in gilt bronze. Classical lady after the antique to the lid. She lying back against a rock with sandals and long robes and her arm over her head. To the inkwell front is an applied gilt bronze mount of palm fronds. The base has a fine decorative moulding...

Early 19th Century Jewish Glass Ink pot dating back to the Biedermeier period, of European Austro-Hungarian origin. Circular shape, this clear jacketed gl...

19th Century Grand Tour Imperial Austrian helmet inkwell. Apparently unmarked. Dimensions: H 8" x W 8" x D 5.5" Condition: Signs of age and use includ...

Inkwell with large base in green serpentine marble surmounted by two cup-shaped vases with lids and lion handles with the function of inkwells. In the center, a statue of Mercury wit...

Exquisite Bizantine French 19th century Empire Napoleon III gilded bronze inkwell. This handcrafted antique desk accessory bears the makers mar...

An extremely scarce early Villeroy & Boch pottery deskset stand. The pristine German antique, circa 1860, was masterfully handcrafted in Mett...

19th century black marble inkwell surmounted by a patinated bronze statue featuring Moses by Michelangelo. The statue of Moses, commissioned in 1505 by Pope Julius II for his tomb an...

Very unusual antique continental gilt metal pedestal Rheinstone set globe shaped inkwell dating from the 19th century. The inkwell, possibly Russian or French stands raised on four b...