Historical information
This inkwell stand contains 24 individual inkwells. Rather than attempting to top up the individual inkwells on each pupil's desk, the inkwells would have been collected together, and topped up in the stand. This would have avoided ink spillage or splatter on multiple desks.
Significance
After a child was deemed old enough to progress from just using slate and board, he/she would have been supplied with a pen shaft made of wood and with a very basic metal nib. An ink jug would be used to fill up the individual inkwells using the inkwell stand. This operation would have been conducted by the teacher him/herself, or by an older pupil under the close eye of the teacher.
Physical description
Wooden inkwell stand with 24 holes
Inscriptions & markings
None
Subjects
References
- How Ink is Made Brief history of ink, and its production method.
- Ink wells, fountain pens and the cane back in the classroom How a Sunshine Coast school has recreated a classroom from a hundred years ago.
