Art Nouveau Pyramidal Inkwell Made Of Wood And Brass, Attributed To Erhard & Söhne, Germany, Circa

A rare and beautiful Art Nouveau inkwell, crafted from dark wood and richly decorated with brass motifs applied and affixed to the wood. The inkwell features a particularly original square, pyramid-shaped design, with four trapezoidal sides adorned with geometric brass motifs and radiating decorations.

The combination of dark wood and brass with golden hues gives this desk accessory a character that is at once elegant, architectural, and highly decorative. The geometric design language fits perfectly within the context of German decorative arts around 1900. The object is attributed to Erhard & Söhne of Schwäbisch Gmünd, a renowned German manufacturer known for its high-quality decorative objects and desk accessories.

The upper section features a brass neck and a cdomed brass lid, hinged in place.

The original interior glass reservoir is missing. For this reason, the upper section has deliberately not been reattached. A replacement glass reservoir of the appropriate dimensions can be installed, allowing the upper section of the inkwell to be properly reassembled. This solution also gives the future owner the option to choose a suitable glass reservoir.

The underside is made of wood and bears a simple mark incised in the shape of an X, with no visible manufacturer’s mark.

A particularly rare and decorative desk accessory, notable for its unusual square-pyramidal shape and the original combination of wood and brass. An interesting piece for collectors of Jugendstil, German decorative arts, Erhard & Söhne, or antique writing accessories.

Period: circa 1900–1910
Origin: Germany
Attribution: Erhard & Söhne, Schwäbisch Gmünd (attributed)
Materials: wood and applied brass
Dimensions: 9.8 × 9.8 cm; height 10.5 cm
Condition: good vintage condition, with normal signs of age and use. The original inner glass reservoir is missing. For this reason, the upper part has not been reattached and can be reassembled after installing a suitable replacement glass reservoir.

A rare and highly decorative object with a particularly distinctive Jugendstil character.

The combination of wood and brass is consistent with Erhard & Söhne’s production around 1900, but since there is no visible manufacturer’s mark on your piece, I would stick with the designation “attributed to.” Documented examples by Erhard & Söhne do indeed show the use of wood and brass in Art Nouveau desk accessories from this period.

Thank you for your visit. Best regards, Ben