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Item: Inkstand or Standish Description: 4 Bottles with
engraved Coat-of-Arms and Crest Hallmark: London 1780 by
Burrage Davenport Dimensions: 12" (305mm) x
7.8" (198mm); 1.5" (38mm)
tall; 1042g (33.5 tr.oz.) weighable silver. Comments: A superb silver standish with the rare feature of having four bottles or wells each with it's own original silver top. These wells would have been used for ink (2 colours), pounce or sand for drying the ink, and wafers (used for sealing letters). The central taperstick has a removable sconce nozzle and was used for melting the sealing wax. The two troughs were used for holding desk accoutrements such as quills. Nowadays a standish such as this, can be adapted for modern usage with writing accessories such as nibs, paperclips, staples etc all readily finding a home. The silver has a
beaded mount and bears a contemporary to manufacture engraved Coat of Arms
and a crest with motto. The
Venerable Frederic Falkener of Dromadda and Rosbrien, co. Limerick,
Archdeacon of Raphoe and Rector of Paymochy, co. Donegal.
The crest depicts a
“demi-lion rampant (or) charged on the shoulder with a crescent
(gules)”. (N.B. in heraldry gules = red; or = gold). The motto reads:
“DEUS MIHI PROVIDEBIT” (translates to “God will provide for
me”). The condition is excellent. All the glass is original (although one is slightly mis-shapen around the base due to the removal of chips). The bottle holders are appropriately part marked and the tops and collars although original are typically unmarked.
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