Decorative eagle inkwell

Bronze (cast) inkwell from the 19th century, part of the collection of the Potocki family. A decorative inkwell, in the shape of a sphere with a lid, supported on three legs in the form of stylised eagle’s claws. On the claws there are volutes with florals from which emerge three silhouettes of winged women flanking the ink container. The inkwell is richly decorated with floral and plant ornamentation. The lid of the inkwell in the shape of a profiled cone surmounted by the silhouette of an eagle with outstretched wings and its head turned to one side. The entire surface of the lid covered with an ornament of flowers and female masks. The introduction of writing pens and ink led to the creation of vessels for storing them. The pen container was often shaped like a shallow tub or standing cylinder, which protected the tablecloth or blank sheets of paper from staining. The ink container was usually in the form of a jar with a lid, and for longer transport distances the lid was secured with a screw. In addition to these two elements, another container (jar) was used, the lid of which was fixed permanently; it was dedicated to keep the sand which was used to dry the written text. Just like other elements of everyday use, the inkwells (desk sets) were subject to fashion and their appearance was modified according to the prevailing style. The ink container itself was always glass, but its frame was made of various materials, often gilded and richly decorated. In the collection of our museum there are single inkwells and whole desk sets in different styles and made of different materials. The inkwell in question is displayed in the Ladies’ Bedroom, part of the Ladies’ Apartment on the first floor.