Inkwells ... love of an an era gone by

Moriset & Fount-O-Ink inkwells
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Is it the romance of dipping the feathered quill’s precise sharp nib? The thought of a desperate lover penning a love-sick plea in tear stained ink by flickering candlelight? Perhaps a picture of the astute banker signing-off on a hard earned mortgage-release in the dirty thirties, with the elegance of a fine document and the professional dignity of a well flowing pen? Whatever the vision, all are good reasons for the love affair of late with inkwell collecting in this loss of an era gone by.

It seems as a culture, the more addicted to our computer and the quick stoke of the keys we become, and the more desensitized we are from the days of a pride in penmanship and the art of the written word, the more we are drawn to the romance of the inkwell and the dip of the nib pen. For practical purposes we do not sway back to the pocket pen full of staining ink, but we are definitely reverting back to graceful written notes on elegant stationery, and lovely desktops with which to sit and write them from. The draw to the inkwell seems a logical fit and the feverish passion of late for collecting them has been comforting to those who fear the loss of our written word to the sometimes too-fast paced technology consuming our pride of personal penmanship.

Collectors hunt for a variety of inkwells with some collecting all styles and others preferring an era or a theme. Popularity is over-ruled by personal preference as unique as one’s own handwriting. As with all antiques there are reproductions and fakes out there so buy from a reputable dealer and as always buy what you love and what is in your collector budget. When a more favourite find comes along one can always trade-up as your collection takes shape and you find your area of interest and knowledge. As always enjoy the alluring hunt for the harder and harder to discover inkwells.