Rare – Revolutionary War Soapstone inkwell with unique sliding-top (ON HOLD,M)

This is another early piece coming out of a 60-year collection of French & Indian War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 artifacts. Being offered is a very rare Revolutionary War inkwell. It's carved of a type of stone called steatite, which are commonly called soapstone, being a very soft stone. It measure 2” x 2 ¼” x 1 7/8” high. What is very rare is that it has a removing sliding top.

The inkwell was definitely made during the colonial period, perhaps as early as the 1600s. Artifacts like this show that our ancestors made good use of the natural resources available to them. Early in our colonial history, large deposits of soapstone were discovered in New England, principally in Vermont.

Soapstone is soft, easily carved and shaped. There really was no need to import it from England when it could be mined locally. Such handmade items were present in every home as well as at military sites. There are examples of these soapstone inkwells in “Collector’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution”, by Neumann & Kravic (see pictures).

This inkwell is in nice condition with no damage. There are multiple grooves done by the carver to make it truly unique. I am sure there may be more, but this is the first one I have seen with a sliding top. It is shaped in a way that stops it from going out the other side – very distinctive.

This collection began in the late 1950s and was created by private acquisitions, closed museums, and lake divers. The collector meticulously displayed and cataloged every piece along with any known provenance. I have included a quill pen with this inkwell for display purposes. A Certificate of Authenticity will be included with the purchase.