Ink Well

Pendant ink wells could be easily carried and taken on journeys. These small, flat vessels had a lid and special hooks for chains, which were attached to the waist. Like ordinary ink wells, they were decorated with enamels, cast relief images and ornamental designs.

Ink wells are an interesting example of Russian decorative art in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. These utilitarian objects were made from simple materials with the same love and care as precious church ornaments.