Mid 19th Century French Boulle Inlaid Encrier

Crafted in France during the mid-nineteenth century and employing the elegant marquetry technique that was developed and perfected by André-Charles Boulle in late seventeenth and early eighteenth century France, this beautiful piece is a brass-inlaid ebonised wood Encrier or inkstand.

With two brass capped inkwells on either side and a central compartment with a similarly decorated cover, the inkstand is crafted from ebonised-wood, which is inlaid with brass in intricate scrolling patterns that extend the length of the object and adorn the slanted panels on either side.

Beautifully exemplifying this type of inlaid technique seen in the likes of museum pieces made by Boulle for Louis XIV, this inkstand is a delightful desk-top piece and a fine work of Victorian craftsmanship.