Inkwell - Brass, uranium glass

Antique inkwell. France, Napoleon III era (mid-19th century)

Refined desk inkwell made in the Second Empire style, which embodies the sumptuousness and magnificence of the French decorative arts of the mid-nineteenth century.

The gilded brass base is adorned with an elegant relief motif and rests on contoured feet. The central cup is made of intense green uranium glass, which emits a splendid luminescence under ultraviolet light—a distinctive feature of luxury deskware of the period.

The glass ink reservoir features a crown-shaped lid decorated with a delicate neoclassical motif.

Period: mid-19th century, Napoleon III era
Origin: France
Materials: brass, gilding, uranium glass, hand-worked glass
Height: 12.5 cm

This object was not only a functional element of the writing table, but also a sign of its owner's prestige and refined taste. Today, such examples are considered rare collector's items, prized for their elegant forms and the mastery of the French decorators of the time.