Inkwell 1885 - 1888

This is a pressed glass inkwell, made by the Richards and Hartley Flint Glass Company sometime between 1867 and 1890. Notice the cube-like form, made from clear glass. The grid of circular indentations across its surface gives it a tactile, almost playful quality, while the lid is similarly patterned, catching and refracting light. The inkwell’s design is deeply rooted in industrial processes. The regularity of the pattern speaks to the mechanization of glass production during this period. The modularity, where a single unit of the sphere is repeated, highlights the shift towards mass production, with identical components being replicated and assembled. This inkwell challenges traditional notions of artistic creation, where individual skill is secondary to manufacturing efficiency. It invites us to reconsider how value is assigned to objects within a market economy, and prompts us to think about the social and economic forces that shape our aesthetic preferences.