Antique English Silver Plate Inkstand Table Lamp

A petite Victorian silverplate inkstand from England, fitted as a small table lamp. The rectangular plated base stands on four shell-capped ball feet and holds two of its original blown glass inkwell cups on stepped pedestals. The central post once held a taperstick for sealing wax. That column has been replaced with a slender chrome lamp stem fitted with a modern bulb socket and US wiring, leaving the antique base, ball feet, and glass cups intact. The underside of the base carries the British registered design lozenge used between 1842 and 1883, which firmly dates the original design to the Victorian period.

[d]Type | Inkstand converted to table lamp

[d]Material | Silverplate over copper-alloy core, blown glass inkwell cups, chrome lamp fittings

[d]Maker | English silverplate, maker's marks worn, pattern number 101

[d]Marks | British registered design lozenge (used 1842 to 1883), pattern number 101

[d]Origin | England

[d]Age | Circa 1875, Victorian period

[d]Style | English silverplate, Sheraton Revival idiom

[d]Size | 11 in H (to top of bulb socket) x 7 in W x 3.5 in D

[d]Inkwell Cups | 3 in H x 2 in diameter, two original blown glass

[d]Feet | Four shell-capped ball feet

[d]Wiring | Rewired for US use, fabric-covered cord, standard US plug

[d]Bulb | Takes a standard E26 medium base bulb, in working order

[d]Shade | Not included

[condition]

Honest antique condition with the patina and wear you would expect of a piece from the 1870s. The silverplate is worn through to the copper-alloy core in several areas across the base, most visibly along the edges and around the ball feet, with the warm copper showing through the remaining silver. This is normal for silverplate of this age and is part of the character of the piece. The base shows light surface scratches and small dings consistent with long use on a writing desk. The hallmarks are present but worn from repeated polishing over the years. The two glass inkwell cups are intact with no chips or cracks, retaining minor light scratches typical of original Victorian glass. The lamp conversion is sound. The chrome stem, socket, and US wiring are modern replacements, professionally fitted and tested in working order. The original taperstick column is absent and has been replaced by the lamp stem.