{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O67844"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O67844/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK1845/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK1845/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AK1845","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2022NG4441","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O67844/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O67844","accessionNumber":"M.268-1920","objectType":"Inkstand","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Silver inkstands appeared in Britain in the 17th century.  They usually included several features. There was a pot, or well, for ink. Another pot with a pierced cover held ‘pounce’ or sand, which writers scattered over the paper to fix the ink. There was a box for wafers to seal the finished letter, and a tray to hold the pens or quills.  By the 18th century, designs were often simpler, particularly for inkstands made in Sheffield plate. The frame became the tray, but there was still one container for the ink and another for the pounce.\r\n\r\nPierced silver work was hugely popular in the mid 18th century. Silversmiths traditionally used the fretsaw to cut patterns out of silver sheet. However, sawing plated objects tended to disturb the thin layer of silver and expose the edge of the copper beneath the silver plate. The plater used a fly press to stamp the pierced decoration in Sheffield plate. Fly presses contained a shaped punch that pressed out patterns. As the fly press pierced the plated metal, it also ingeniously dragged the top layer of silver over the edge of the copper. It joined the top layer of silver to the layer of silver on the underside, cleverly concealing the cut copper edge.","physicalDescription":"A boat-shaped tray with upturned ends and pierced laurel border, resting on four tapering gadrooned feet; the bottles fit into sockets pierced with quatrefoils in lozenges between wavy borders, and secured by a pin underneath; beaded edges; plated tops to bottles.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Sheffield plate","id":"AAT81349"}],"techniques":[{"text":"plating","id":"AAT53991"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Sheffield plate","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Tableware & cutlery","id":"THES48888"},{"text":"Tools & Equipment","id":"THES48883"}],"styles":[{"text":"Neoclassical","id":"AAT21477"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AK1845","2022NG4441"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES405654"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES405654"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES405654"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"019","id":"THES407205"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES405524"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Inkstand","id":""}],[{"text":"Drip-pan","id":""}],[{"text":"Inkstand","id":""}],[{"text":"Ink pot","id":""}],[{"text":"Ink pot","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Sheffield","id":"x29138"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1780","earliest":"1775-01-01","latest":"1784-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"The Wolseley Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"7.61","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"22.35","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Inkstand with two glass bottles, Sheffield plate, ca. 1780, English","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":" Church, Rachel  (2014) Writing Equipment and Women in Europe 1500–1900, Women's Writing, 21:3, 385-404, fig.5"}],"production":"Reason For Production: Retail","productionType":{"text":"Mass produced","id":"THES48863"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.268PART/2-1920","M.268PART/1-1920","M.268-1920","M.268A-1920","M.268A/PART-1920"],"accessionNumberNum":"268","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1920,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Ink pot [1]","Ink pot [2]","Inkstand [1]","Drip-pan","Inkstand [2]"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-08","recordCreationDate":"2002-09-24","availableToBook":true}}