Featured Age of Mosley's Revolving Inkwells

These small crown-topped inkwells are heavy, beautiful little things, made for writing slopes, that appear from time to time in mostly UK-based antique shops. Would anyone out there have a firm clue as to when these were manufactured? I've seen everything from the 1830's to about 1900. Many thanks!

 

@Shangas

 

@808 raver
@Marote

 

Can you see a patent number on them anywhere? Could give a clue as to date

 

https://www.mostlyboxesantiques.com...es/victorian-brassbound-walnut-writing-slope/

 

No, sorry, no markings.

 

Beautiful slope! And there are those inkwells alright ... alive and well around 1870 it seems.

 

Good find Komo !

 

Not sure what else I can add to whatever else has already been mentioned. They are definitely a pair of writing-case inkwells, with threaded caps. They command a lot of attention online mostly because people buy writing cases and need the inkwells, so if you have any spare ones, they tend to get snapped up.

 

This was one glowing description I found some time back that aligns with your sentiments ... one that dates the patent at least to around 1830. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/pair-antique-georgian-mosley-270626743

 

I only have 3 writing slopes so I'm no authority, Shangas is the person. Personally I'm not convinced the worthpoint inkwells are 1830, in my early days I spent a lot of my time bottle digging and know what late Victorian glass looks like Vs Georgian, of course these could have been free blown into a wooden mould with clear glass then ground and polished but in the digging world (who collects antique inkwells) I didn't remember ever hearing of such early bottles and you never see them in early writing slopes. I would like to see close up's of the inside of the lid, top of the neck of the bottle and the base of the bottle but I suspect these to be post 1860.

 

I see what you mean but writing slopes defiantly had ink wells inside, external and internal screws to the neck allowed more secure lids, before that corks were the means of preventing the ink from coming out. This was an old thread showing both of my slopes and some fantastic slopes from Shangas
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/anglo-indian-carved-ebony-writing-slope-1840c.17526/

 

Here are a couple closeups ... hope these help! The inkwells are also perfect fits for the side drawers on Davenports, where my 2 reside

 

Very interesting, I do think they have a chance of being early because there isn't a thread on the glass bottle, external and internal threads came in around 1880's, I'm in no doubt there was a standard size for inkwells so they could be replaced, it would be very interesting to know the exact size of the bottles as I have a very early davenport desk (around 1790-1800) it also has the same recess for inkwells, I've just measured mine to 47mm. Now you have posted a small glimps of your rosewood davenport I would like to see more
In summery, I do think your inkwells are early 1) they look ground and polished 2) they have cemented brass threads attached to the glass 3) inside there is a cork seal 4) the brass looks (on the inside) to be lacquered.
Here is my davenport desk https://www.antiquers.com/threads/reposted-with-better-photos-davenport-desk-by-t-wilson.53482/

 

I've been into writing cases since I was a kid. At one point I had a collection of over a dozen - these days I've whittled that down to two (I had three, but I sold one a couple of weeks ago).

Inkwells on writing slopes / cases were almost always the threaded type, with a screw-on cap. Anything else (stoppers, corks, etc) just wasn't secure enough to hold the ink in without leaking.

Of course, you also had "traveling inkwells", these were inkwells with glass liners and lockable lids on top. The lids came with leather seals designed to stop the ink leaking out. I have one writing case with one of these inside it. If you didn't want a threaded inkwell, this was the alternative that you had to use.

The one I have actually didn't have its original glass liner. I got SUPREMELY lucky in finding a little plastic jar that fit the interior *exactly*, and I used that as a replacement instead.

 

I wonder if you know how these original wooden caps worked with screw lids?

 

Wouldn't be able to tell you without more photos. Looks like a lovely case, though.

 

Thanks much @808 raver ! These 2 guys are 44cm all around, but as said they are heavier than most box inkwells I've hefted. They didn't come with the desk, I added later.


We dated the desk to mid-1850's, thanks to the locksmith brand of Parnell and Puckridge. She's a stunner, apparently originating out of an estate in Cheltenham, a wealthy spa town in the Cotswolds. While unbranded, I was told the quality was of such caliber that it may have been from the workshops of Gillow of Lancaster.