I won this on Ebay for $8.00 (plus $5.50 shipping) it even came with 2 beat up desk pens. No one else bid. I think it's cool --in a weird sort of way. It has a double inkwell. It's supposed to be old plastic. Anyone have any thoughts on such an odd piece?

I think it looks pretty neat. If you don't use it for ink, you can always sacrifice a virgin on it

Would an un-inked pen count as the virgin?

My husband and I have looked at it more closely and we think it's horn not plastic.

Looks to me like a tea cellar, not an inkwell. Has that oriental motif (the lid is adorned with horns that resemble a Chinese pagoda or palace) and a two-basin container, right? Not uncommon in Victorian times, was a table-top dispenser which had smoky black tea leaves in one bin and tart herbal tea leaves in the other, and the user would custom-blend his own tea fresh for distillation. If that inner white surface is indeed horn, then it's clear it hasn't been inked or else it would be markedly discolored, wouldn't it?

Anyway, either way it's a great deal for a nifty item. $13.50 for this curio is a bargain, whether or not it's an inkwell or a tea cellar or ... or ... a cat scratching post, for heaven's sakes!

Who would have thought there would be a selection of these inkwells?
I found this at a yard sale last summer.

Except for the two trumpets for the pens as well as the dip pen rest in the front . In any case I do like the checkerboard

Kurt

Oh! Lookit! Preddy! Inderesding!

Now I see that the original well actually has pen-stands attached. Didn't notice that in the original image. My suggestion of tea cellar seems silly now ...

I do remember at Oak Alley that there was a large locked tea chest next to the table that had two sections inside. The lock on the chest looked to be bigger than the ones on the house doors



Kurt

The original photo posted has 2 trumpets, as well.
So YES. I'd say they were most likely a series or 2 of the selections made.

Cool looking!

Oh my God! That is a trip that yours is so similar. (Yours is actually a bit nicer.) In any case, I had never seen an inkwell of this sort and will enjoy using it.

Luckygrandson, Do you think yours is horn? We feel quite certain that ours is. Do you use yours?

Hi
I'm pretty certain it is horn. With the chip that's out of it you can see into the square.
I haven't used the ink well. I have used the pens.
I picked mine up in South Central Pennsylvania.
Where did you find yours?
Steve

I got mine from an ebay auction. The seller was in Iowa. I use dip pens regularly so I'll use the inkwells. I wonder if there are more versions of it out there.

I think those ' horns' are nib straightening anvils....
LOL