Art Nouveau Inkwell By Paul Milet And Victor Saglier, Set In Silver

Sèvres. Late 19th century.

Glazed stoneware inkwell resulting from the collaboration between Paul Milet (1870–1950) and Victor Saglier (1809–1894).

Decorated with silver mistletoe foliage; bears the Minerva hallmark and the silversmith’s V-S hallmark on both parts.

Complete with its inner glass cup.

A very beautiful Art Nouveau collector’s piece combining crystallized enamel and fine Parisian silversmithing.

Signed on the bottom “V-S Sèvres”:

The initials V.S., associated with the SÈVRES stamp, refer to the work of Victor Saglier (a Brussels- and Paris-based silversmith and publisher active in the late 19th century) in collaboration with Paul Milet’s workshop in Sèvres.

The handwritten notation 3-3-95 at the top likely corresponds to the date of creation or removal from the kiln: March 3, 1895.

The number 196 generally refers to the mold number.

The piece features a crystallized/marbled glaze that is very characteristic of late 19th-century Art Nouveau productions made in the city of ceramics.

Diameter 12.5 cm; Height 8 cm.

Paul Milet Workshop: The son of Optat Milet (of the Sèvres Manufactory), Paul Milet established his own workshop in Sèvres in the late 19th century. He specialized in ceramics with crystallized or flambé glazes intended for mounting in gold and silverware.

Victor Saglier: Goldsmith and importer of Minton porcelain, renowned for his Art Nouveau creations. Known for his collaborations with Louis Majorelle, Daum, and Émile Gallé. His style, typical of French Art Nouveau, follows in the tradition of the École de Nancy. He often drew inspiration from nature, whose logic guided the design of his forms and decorations. The mark of master silversmith Victor Saglier features an oval three-masted ship, surrounded by the letters V and S inscribed within a rectangle.

Milet/Saglier Association: Victor Saglier commissioned porcelain or glazed stoneware bodies from Milet, then created custom mounts (foliage, mistletoe, floral motifs) in his Parisian workshops that fit them perfectly.