Page 23 - July 25 catalogue amended

90. ATKINSONS ORNAMENTAL INK STAND. 7ins tall.
An extraordinary Atkinson’s pump inkwell mounted on brass standish, the ceramic reservoir decorated with hand painted polychrome glazed bears roaming lush foliage. The brass Standish, incorporating pen rests on the carrying handle and wafer tray to the front, is marked to the underside below the handle ‘ATKINSON / LONDON’. The mechanism is the ‘pump’ type: a metal weight within the body raised or lowered by turning the brass finial to push or retract ink into the font to
the front. The earliest patented examples are those of David Edwards (1825) but the use of fine porcelain with a decorative metal mechanism was taken up in England by Birmingham inventor Joseph Schlesinger with his ‘hydraulic’ patent of 1842; he used porcelain reservoirs made by Grainger’s factory at Worcester. An important and significant early ink patent. NR £300-400+
The name Atkinson coupled with the
bears depicted on the body is significant. James Atkinson established his perfumery business at 44 Gerrard Street in 1799.
He originally sold pots of hair pomade made of bears’ grease and perfumed with Otto of Roses. He was said to have arrived in London having walked from Cumberland with a bear on a chain
that was then tethered to
on the pavement outside
his London premises. The
image of it appears on the
well-known bears grease
pot lids. His perfumery
business found great
success and in 1826 he
was awarded a Royal
Warrant. In 1829 he moved
to 39 Bond Street, then again in 1832 to 24 Old Bond Street where he was joined in partnership by his brother Edward
as J & E Atkinson. James’ sons also called James and Edward continued
the company after their father’s death in 1853. From 1869 they were exporting around the world.
Given the incongruous motif and the engraved name,
it is extremely likely this
well was one of a number commissioned for use within the firms stores. An exceptional piece for either an ink or bears grease collector.