Silver Novelty Inkstand
These silver novelty inkstand pieces combine practical Victorian and Edwardian desk equipment with playful sculptural forms like hooves and animals.
Silver Novelty Inkstand
A silver novelty inkstand brings together desk accessories and unusual sculptural forms from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These items range from taxidermy animal hooves mounted in silver to realistic depictions of owls, tortoises, and cornucopias designed to sit upon a writing table.
The version most commonly met on this page is the equestrian desk accessory, often taking the shape of a horse or pony hoof fitted with a hinged silver lid. Alongside these equestrian pieces, collectors find sterling silver capstan inkwells incorporating pocket watches, and elaborately detailed bird figures with glass eyes.
Originating largely from the Victorian and Edwardian periods, these functional objects reflect a distinct appetite for clever design alongside traditional writing materials. Each piece combines a glass or metal ink reservoir with an imaginative exterior shape that served as a talking point in the study or library.
How they were made
Maker's workshops combined silversmithing techniques with taxidermy and brass casting to create these elaborate desk items. Natural materials like genuine animal hoof, horn, and tortoise shell were trimmed and fitted with sterling silver mounts, rims, and hinged lids.
Glass inserts provided the functional ink reservoir within the metal or organic exterior, while brass and silver plating offered alternative bases for cornucopia and dolphin desk stands. Detailed surface engraving and chased decoration defined the feathers of owls and the plating of capstan designs.
Silver Novelty Inkstand Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for silver novelty inkstand among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Listings feature items spanning the nineteenth century through the Edwardian era, incorporating sterling silver, silver plate, horn, and horse hoof.
What varies in quality
Quality in a silver novelty inkstand rests upon the realism of the sculptural form and the crispness of the silver mounts. Finer examples display meticulous attention to anatomical detail in animal subjects, such as well-preserved horse hooves and expressive glass eyes in bird figures.
The weight of the metal and the integration of functional elements like pocket watches or double inkwells also distinguish finer pieces from standard desk tidies. Superior items retain clear hallmarks on their silver components and maintain intact, original glass ink inserts.
The Silver Novelty Inkstand Glossary
- Capstan inkwell
- An inkwell shaped like a ship's capstan, featuring a wide base that tapers inward toward the top. This shape provides stability on a desk.
- Taxidermy
- The art of preparing and mounting animal skins or parts for display. In these pieces, it refers specifically to animal hooves utilised as inkstands.
- Hallmark
- An official stamp applied to precious metals indicating purity and origin. These marks help verify the period and silver standard of the mount.
- Cornucopia
- A horn-shaped container traditionally representing abundance. Desk stands using this motif often employ horn or silver plate materials.
Silver Novelty Inkstand: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a novelty inkstand?
A novelty inkstand is a functional desk accessory designed in an amusing or unusual shape, such as an animal, a hoof, or a capstan. These pieces held ink for writing while serving as decorative ornaments in nineteenth-century studies.
They combine practical glass inkwells with imaginative outer casings made from sterling silver, silver plate, brass, and organic materials like horn.
How were horse hoof inkstands used?
Horse hoof inkstands functioned as standard desktop inkwells where a writer dipped a pen into the central reservoir before writing. The hinged silver lid kept the ink from drying out too quickly when not in use.
Equestrian items of this type reflected the strong sporting interests of the Victorian and Edwardian periods, sitting alongside paperweights and desk tidies.
How do I date an Edwardian inkstand?
Dating an Edwardian inkstand relies primarily on examining the silver hallmarks stamped onto the metal mounts or lids. These official marks record the assay office, the specific year letter, and the standard of the silver.
Stylistic details and registration numbers also help place the piece within the broader Edwardian or late Victorian manufacturing windows.
Are the glass inserts original?
Checking whether the glass insert is original involves looking at how snugly it fits within the silver or hoof mount. Many pieces retain their fitted glass wells designed specifically to contain the liquid ink without leaking.
Replacements do occur due to breakage over the decades, so a matching fit indicates a well-preserved piece of desk equipment.