SILVER MILITARY INKWELL BY OMAR RAMSDEN.

This very rare large and decorative English silver hall marked inkwell is by the highly important and collectable arts and crafts silver smith ,Omar Ramsden.Arts and crafts was a very popular movement from the 1870s until the late 1930s,the principles of the movement was to encourage the manufacture of hand made unique quality goods rather than identical machine made factory products. Large silver Standish with a very attractive hammered affect with raised ridge to the outer edge featuring 8 silver bars which almost look like metal rivets which would be ideal for holding pens. The center of the inkwell almost grows naturally into a mushroom form with silver hinged lid which when opened displays a clear glass inkwell. The lid of the inkwell is beautifully engraved with a Regimental badge, Ram holding a British flag surmounted by a kings crown and with inscription to outer edge, THE QUEENS 22ND LONDON REGIMENT. The raised outer edge of the inkwell between the stylized rivets is engraved, I WAS WROUGHT FOR CAPTAIN K.E.PREVITE BY COMMAND OF THE OFFICERS 22ND LONDON REGIMENT (THE QUEENS) ON OCCASION OF HIS MARAGE 30TH JAN 1930.The edge of the ink well is stamped with a full set of English silver hallmarks ,OR for Omar Ramsden and then the silver hall mark for London 1926,the interior of the lid also has matching silver hall marks. From research I have managed to discover one other almost identical inkwell by Omar Ramsden presented to a different officer who was also serving in the Queens Regiment and was manufactured in the same year as this example and which was at one time in the Campbell (Omar Ramsden) silver collection. It is believed that the Regiment ordered a small quantity of these silver inkwells from Omar Ramsden for presentation for Officers marriages and possibly retirements ,it is considered that about half a dozen of these inkwells were produced for the Regiment in the mid 1920s and were probably retained by Ramsden until required and then the inscriptions were applied at his workshop. Silver objects produced by Ramsden are highly collectable and very difficult to find, this example having the added interest of being an inkwell and having a military connection makes it even moor interesting and desirable. [Condition: Mint]

Code: 1382