This magnificent, fine and impressive antique Victorian sterling silver inkstand / desk standish has a rectangular shaped form.
This antique inkstand is plain and embellished with chased and embossed egg decorated borders.
The surface of this exceptional example of antique silverware incorporates two elongated oval recesses, composing pen wells.
This antique hallmarked silver inkstand is supported by four impressive cast paw style feet embellished with scroll and leaf decoration in junction with the plain collet rim.
The body of the inkstand incorporates two cylindrical ink bottles flanking a central rectangular stamp box.
The impressive ink bottles are each embellished with impressive applied rams head masks conjoined with swag decoration, in addition to leaf and egg decorated borders.
Each ink bottle is surmounted with a push fit cover, allowing access to the original glass liner.
The centre of each cover is fitted with a cast silver flame decorated finial; once removed this provides a pierced hole for access to the contents of the ink bottle.
The central sterling silver stamp box is plain and embellished with borders reflecting those to the ink bottles.
The box is fitted with the original push fit cover surmounted with an exceptional sterling silver lighter.
The lighter has a circular rounded lamp-shaped form, fitted with an exceptional cast snake decorated handle.
The lighter is fitted with a hallmarked push fit cover, surmounted with an organic shaped finial.
This magnificent antique English desk standish was crafted in the same year, but due to the hallmarking system the components are struck with the date letter 'S' and 'T'.
