A very large Victorian sterling silver mounted glass novelty oversized inkwell, London 1885 by William Leuchars

Formed as an oversized inkwell. Square base cut with hobnail pattern, the hinged bulbous lid engraved to the top with a coat of arms between supporters and the motto Fidei Tenaz, surmounted by a crest of an eagle's head erased sa., duttée-d'or, holding in the beak an escallop. The interior with a lift out clear glass inkwell. Fully marked to the side, part-marked to the lid interior, and branded LEUCHARS LONDON & PARIS.

Length – 16 cm / 6.25 inches

Height – 20.7 cm / 8.15 inches

The crest, arms, and motto are for Glyln, Baron Wolverton

Possibly or George Grenfell Glyn, 2nd Baron Wolverton PC (1824 – 1887), son of George Carr Glyn, 1st Baron Wolverton (1797 – 1873), a banker raised to the peerage in 1869. The second Baron was a Liberal politician. He held office in three of the Liberal administrations of William Gladstone. Given the date of this inkwell it tempting to think it may commemorate when in February 1886 he became Postmaster General, given that the date letter changes on May 30^th of the year. However, this position was short lived as the government fell in July of that year.

However these arms are not impaled and the second Baron married Georgiana Maria Tufnell (d.1894) in 1848. If this is inkwell was engraved a few years later it may be for Henry Richard Glyn, 3rd Baron Wolverton (1861-1888) who was unmarried, or Frederic Glyn, 4th Baron Wolverton (1864-1932) who married in 1895.