Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A heavy, cast bronze inkwell, a rounded vessel with relief concentric circles in two registers around its body and a deeply concave discus with a deep, narrow well drilled into it. A flat, curved handle is held in place with pins at either side, and is still in nice functioning condition. The Romans were a highly literate society, with literacy rates estimated to be 15% total and much higher within towns. Letter writing was done using pen and ink, and an inkwell would have been a nice accessory to the epistolary life of a Roman. Size: 2.25" W x 2.05" H (5.7 cm x 5.2 cm); 2.6" H (6.6 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection, acquired before 2000

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#131004

Excellent condition. Patina is very dark turquoise and quite smooth. Handle still functional. Small area of putty on the base for attachment to stand.