Desk Accessory

Art Historical Context

This charming desk accessory, crafted in antique bronze around 1850, exemplifies refined utilitarian art of the mid-19th century Measuring a compact 9 x 5¼ x 2¼ inches, it likely served as an inkwell, paperweight, or seal in a gentleman's study or office— increasingly adorned with such functional yet elegant objects during the Victorian era. Its placement in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Wing highlights its ties to Anglo-American culture, reflecting transatlantic tastes amid the Industrial Revolution's rise, when bronze casting techniques allowed for affordable luxury. Bronze, with its war...