Capstan inkwells take their form from actual ship's capstans, the vertical drum mechanism sailors used to wind rope and raise heavy loads, translated into a squat, tapered silhouette that happened to suit a desk inkwell just as well as it suited a ship's deck. This one leans into that maritime reference at real scale, a large body with a slightly domed hinged lid and reeded borders running around it.
Made by Walker & Hall, one of the more established Sheffield silversmithing firms of the period, it's a good example of how a functional nautical shape could be borrowed wholesale into domestic silverware without losing the visual logic that made the original design work in the first place.
Condition notes
Very good antique condition. Shallow depression to the side of the base.
