An early Victorian silver mounted hoof inkwell, the hinged lid engraved with floral motifs and scrolling foliage surrounding a smaller hinged opening to the centre, having realistically decorated hair detail and fitted with a silver horseshoe to the base. Hallmarked Rawlins & Sumner, London 1848. Height measures 3 inches (7.5 cm).
The inkwell displays some general wear, surface marks and scratches in keeping with the age and use. Some dints and bumps. The main silver mount is now loose as some of the fixing screws are missing. The horseshoe is also missing a couple of fixing pins and it is not fitted flush to the hoof. Main hinged lid appears in working order, one of the hinge pins is sticking out. The smaller hinged lid is quite loose. The hallmarks are mostly clear and legible, also part hallmarks to smaller lid. Several splits in the hoof.