A large sculptural inkwell from the Hollywood Regency era in gilded copper with a contrasting coral and white stone/marble finial by American metalsmith, designer and jeweler, Marie Zimmermann (1879-1972). The inkwell comes directly from the artist's estate and the same gold-plated inkwell form with a finial of jade, onyx and coral is illustrated on page 154, fig. 4.31 of The Jewelry and Metalwork of Marie Zimmermann, 2012.
Zimmermann spent much of her creative energy developing a variety of unique and artistic finishes for her designs in metal, experimenting with heat, wax, varnish, pigments and plating techniques. Zimmermann occasionally accented these finishes with enameled details, jewels and gemstones, and/or "found objects," including carved pieces of coral, ivory, jade and stone. The inkwell is sculptural but also functional, with remnants of ink staining the removable insert. The body and lid are gilded inside and out with a rich, golden satin finish. The base is marked with Zimmermann's MZ artist's cipher impressed over M.ZIMMERMANN / MAKER.
The inkwell was made before 1939, measures 5 in. H x 8.25 in. Dia., and is in very good original and unpolished condition with expected scuffs on base, a few dark oxidation spots and some minor wear to gilding with a couple of tiny pinpoint dings around the body.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City holds the largest collection of objects by Marie Zimmermann, making their first acquisition in 1922. A variety of her jewelry and metalwork designs can also be found in the collections of The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Wolfsonian-Florida International University and the Columbus Museum of Art.
Provenance: The estate of Marie Zimmermann.
