Long before the information explosion that followed
the invention of the Internet and wireless technology, there was the
printing press, movable type, and the substance that made it all
possible: ink. As Lord Byron aptly put it, "One drop of ink makes
thousands, perhaps millions, think."
Whether contained in depressions of hollow stones or
clay and used to convey thought on cave walls or stored in a sterling
silver inkwell at the
elbow of a signer of the Declaration of
Independence, ink has given substance to human thoughts from utilitarian to
democratic societies.
Around 1200 B.C. the Chinese perfected "India ink," a substance created by combining the soot from the smoke of
lamp oil and pines (sometimes called lampblack) with gelatin made from
donkey skin and musk. But no matter how crude the form, inkwells have
always existed alongside written history.
Because they typically follow period style, the
myriad of examples available to collectors is
fascinating.
"Inkwells come in every shape and
material and are infinite in
design," says Mary
McAtee of the Society of Inkwell Collectors.
"There are people, animals, faces, and shoes, and they're made
from porcelain, art glass, brass, bronze, and wood."
Though most
examples made before the 17th century remain in museums, some collectors
become interested in inkwells by default -- they may be seeking to add
to their collections of porcelain, cut crystal, or art glass, for example,
or they might simply be
indulging an interest in a certain historical
period.
