Seconds Martha INKWELL Inkwell

Jane Austen’s friend Martha Lloyd wrote a Receipt for Ink within her Household Book, which is today one of the many treasures of Jane Austen’s House. Martha lived at the House, with Jane, Cassandra and Mrs Austen for many years, and her Household Book would have been used regularly in the kitchen. Martha’s manuscript contains not only recipes for food but also recipes for useful household items such as the receipt for ink. In the years before many commercially available preparations were available, homemade recipes were important, and written recipes like Martha’s not only passed essential knowledge onto servants but also preserved them for future generations.

Iron Gall ink is in fact one of the oldest forms of ink known to man. It was certainly use by the Romans and then throughout the ensuing centuries. The components of the ink are important as the galls of the oak tree contain gallotanic acid, which can be released from the galls by crushing them. If this is then mixed with water, a form of iron sulphate and gum Arabic it creates an ink. Jane Austen’s surviving manuscripts were written in a variety of this home-made iron gall ink and Moorcroft wanted to pay homage to the writer by creating a design on both an inkwell but also on a candlestick, the type that Jane may have used to illuminate her work as the nights drew in and the days became darker.

What is a Moorcroft second? All our art pottery is closely inspected before it leaves the Moorcroft factory and the selection process is as rigorous as any in the world. As a result, not all pieces emerge unblemished in their quality assessment. The fault or faults may be in the finish of a piece, whether it be a tiny tubeline miss, an incorrectly painted petal, or a small glaze run. Seconds are not ‘red-dotted’, all of them are far too good for that, and each seconds piece has a charm and individuality of its own. Any fault is not structural and the piece can still be used for the purpose it was made. 

The 'Was' price shown is the Best Quality RRP of this design and shape.

A Gift Box is not supplied with this product

Was: £295.00
Ex Tax: £159.79

• Designer: Emma Bossons
• Dimensions: H 7.50 x W 17.00 x D 24.00 cm
• Availability: In Stock