Inkhorn

Description

This inkhorn was a gift from king Gustav III of Sweden to the poet and composer Carl Michael Bellman, when he was appointed secretary of the court in 1776. Originally meant as a brush washer, it was manufactured in China in the first half of the 18th century. The container made of soapstone is embraced by a small human figure flanked by lotus flowers. When remade into an inkhorn in Sweden it was given a crowned silver lid, along with a memorial inscription. When lifting the lid another inscription is made visible: “NECKEN.HAN.TITTAR.UR.HAFVET.UPP”, The Neck looking out of the sea. The neck is a water spirit in Swedish folklore, thought to lure people into the water to drown. The inscription, along with the little figurine, was probably meant to give Bellman a laugh every time he lifted the lid to dip his pen. http://historiska.se/upptack-historien/object/540987 Photogrammetry / Fotogrammetri Xenter 3D-tekniker Midori Åstrand