Is This A Pen Tray?

[Tanzanite]

I found this at a second hand shop today. My first thought was that it is a pen tray for dip pens but it could be something completely different. Does anyone know?

 

 

 

[Charles Rice]

Or cigars?

 

But if it works for your pens, then its a pen tray.

 

Years ago I was given an ink well that was used as a candle holder.

[Tanzanite]

I think that would be very thin cigars. It is made for six something. Perhaps it is difficult to see in the photos. I wish I could find the English words to describe the design. In the tray there are two ridges with six rounded hollows on each of them.

 

But you are right, now it is a pen tray

I have seen some ink wells sold as candle holders too. The lids have been missing so they thought that it was for candles.

[RMN]

Interesting. Thanks for showing.

 

I doubt if it has been made for this purpose, I think it is more a tray for medical items, like clamps etc, or perhaps to do with cooking.

 

But as Charles said: if it works for your pens for you it is a pentray.

 

D.ick

[Charles Rice]

Dental Picks?

[The Blue Knight]

Could it be for paint brushes?

[Tanzanite]

Could it be for paint brushes?

 

This has crossed my mind. It would be perfect for smaller watercolour brushes waiting to dry.

[Charles Rice]

Almost looks like some kind of serving tray. But for what I have no idea.

[Kosmic-kowgirl]

maybe an ashtray? but I love it as a pen tray!!

[GTOZack]

too long to be any kind of ashtay, no cork knockers for pipe rest too long and ugly for cigars

 

i think its some kind of serving tray for sure

[Charles Rice]

Asparagus maybe?

[Freddy]

Enjoy your repurposed {whatever item..fruit..vegetable..tobacco}

vintage cut glass and or pressed glass with six slots....Looks good....

 

Fred

on the subject of friendship ..I'd prefer to say as little as possible..

because it's very complicated..... ~ K. Philby

[Octo]

I've seen pen trays similar to this one, or at least such trays sold along with old pen items.

[chunya]

Asparagus maybe?

Asparagus sprang to my mind, but not been able to find one like it.

 

Now it's a pen tray!

[Thuja]

I was browsing Etsy the other day and came across the same item. The seller says it's an old military surplus desk tidy and has 60 of them for sale. The link is https://www.etsy.com/listing/197729561/old-military-surplus-ink-stand-for-your?ref=sr_gallery_15&ga_search_query=fountain+pen&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_page=7&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_view_type=gallery

[Shangas]

I've seen those things before. My gut-feeling is that they were for either dental picks, or pens.

[RMN]

I've seen those things before. My gut-feeling is that they were for either dental picks, or pens.

I would say the dental picks.

 

The seller's description on Etsy seems incorrect. the distance between the ridges is too large for normal FPs. Dip-pens is possible as shown above by the OP.

Of course you could put 2 inkbottles in the end parts, but they would not sit stable.

And I fail to see the need for 6 dippens with two bottles of ink. Unless it would be for a calligrapher with different sized nibs. But then I would not suspect these as Army surplus, while the fact that he has access to 60 of them suggests it was a commonly used item.

 

I think it is the dental picks, and perhaps you could put a tray like this in the steam oven for disinfecting them.

 

 

D.ick

[Chrissy]

I have one that is very similar. I have it on my desk and use it as a pen tray.

 

Edited July 31, 2014 by Chrissy

[Tanzanite]

I was browsing Etsy the other day and came across the same item. The seller says it's an old military surplus desk tidy and has 60 of them for sale. The link is https://www.etsy.com/listing/197729561/old-military-surplus-ink-stand-for-your?ref=sr_gallery_15&ga_search_query=fountain+pen&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_page=7&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_view_type=gallery

Wow. That really is the exact same item. Thank you! Interresting to know that it is from the 40s.

I wonder what the standard army fountain pen looked like... The tray is quite small. Pelikan and Waterman ink bottles fit perfectly in the smaller compartments at the ends though.

I paid 1, 5 €.

[Cryptos]

It looks like thick glass, and that is certainly the kind of thing that would be used in an autoclave. It also looks like there should be a lid. The dimpling of the base is interesting too. Is it on the inside or the outside?

 

By the way Tanzanite, two things:

 

1. I was offered a pear-shaped cut Tanzanite for $160 the last time I was in Zimbabwe in the 1990s. Kicking myself for not buying it as the price has increased ten-fold since then!

 

2. Where do you get those beautiful dip pen holders? Or should I say, where can I get one?