Holt Antiques at Walsingham Mill
18th Century Continental Antique Brass Scribes Quill Pen Holder & Inkwell
18th Century Continental Antique Brass Scribes Quill Pen Holder & Inkwell
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An elegant 18th-century Continental brass quill pen holder and inkwell, used by a scribe—a professional copyist or record keeper—during the Enlightenment era. Crafted with precision and patinated by time, this piece embodies the scholarly tools of a pre-industrial world.
The form is compact yet refined, with a shaped base, integrated inkwell, and slot for a quill. Brass was favoured for its durability and aesthetic warmth, often used in personal deskware and clerical instruments. Such items were essential in courts, libraries, and merchant offices, where legibility and permanence were paramount.
Scribes held vital roles in society, preserving legal records, correspondence, and literary texts. This object would have sat on a desk surrounded by parchment, wax seals, and ledgers—its surface now bearing the quiet marks of use and repetition.
Whether displayed in a study, library, or collector’s cabinet, it offers both tactile charm and historical resonance.
Provenance: Continental. 18th century. The holder also bears an impressed maker's mark, although this has not been identified.
Condition - As per the images. There is surface wear and some oxidation to the brass is evident which is commensurate with age. A further detailed condition report is available upon request.
Size: Length 27.5 cm (10 3/4")
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