This circa 1890 double inkwell was made by James Deakin & Son, Sheffield, England, as is marked on the underside of the base. On the front there are two raised mounts, one on the left and one on the right. These mounts are designed to hold two ink dip pens. Such pens were usually long and quite slender unlike the fountain pens which began to take over the writing instrument market in the late nineteenth century.
This antique is beautifully and intricately made. A fine item!