Displayed in our gallery are remnants of a way of life few of us can still relate to—the era of slow, deliberate correspondence. A time when communication, whether a routine business letter or a heartfelt note to a loved one, was a ritual. Before the 16th century, writing was considered a menial task, reserved for scribes while the aristocracy dictated their thoughts. However, with the introduction of elaborately designed desk sets in the mid-nineteenth century, writing transformed into an art form. These ornate objects, crafted with rich decorative details, signaled refinement and good taste, making the act of writing an essential part of cultured life.
The most notable desk set in our collection is the Tiffany Studios’ Pond Lily desk set, which includes blotter ends, an inkwell, a calendar frame, a pen tray, and a rocker blotter. To write, one would dip a pen into the inkwell and use a leather pad, secured by two blotter ends, as a writing surface. This pad cushioned the pen nib, preventing the paper from tearing while allowing for fluid, decorative strokes. Any excess ink was absorbed with a rocker blotter, which featured a curved base, a small handle, and a paper bottom, enabling it to be gently rocked over the writing to remove excess ink. One would then set down your pen upon a pen tray. Finished letters would then be stored in a letter holder. For the collector of art prints, a blotter end pad can serve as an elegant background for a rotating display of your favorite works. A great way to show your visitors and friends your pieces when they visit your office.
Tiffany Studios New York 7-Piece "Pond Lily" Desk Set, Tiffany Studios New York, 1905
The fine writing desk gradually became a symbol of secrecy, often featuring hidden compartments and locks to safeguard one’s most private correspondence. Keys were crafted to complement the decoration of their locks and were kept on the owner’s person as a mark of utmost discretion. Upon betrothal, lovers would exchange a coffret—a small lockbox designed to sit atop a desk, safeguarding love letters and treasured mementos. These coffrets were often adorned with imagery evoking themes of love, whether romanticized or satirical. In Emile Galle’s “Mayfly and Fern” Coffret, the mayfly is an insect that hatches in summer and lives only a few hours before mating and dying. The mayfly has long symbolized love’s fleeting and ephemeral nature in poetic tradition. In Les Fleurs du mal, Charles Baudelaire writes, “You are a candle where the mayfly dies, / In flames, blessing this fire’s deadly bloom,” evoking love as both consuming and doomed. This motif, therefore, represents a fatalistic love, in which the lover risks everything for an ill-fated union. In contrast, Galle often turned to another of his favored symbols—the fern. He incorporated imagery of this ancient flora, including ferns, giant horsetails, calamites, and sigillaria, as emblems of permanence and endurance. By contrasting both motifs, Galle dictates an allegory of love in passionate lust and love in steadfast fidelity.
Emile Galle, Mayfly and Fern Coffret, ca. 1900
In Galle’s Coeur de Jeanette coffret, the flower represents the transition between girlhood and womanhood. In it a young woman sits adoringly while a troubadour plays love songs to her with a lyre. Originating in Germany and Switzerland, the tradition of the coffret dates back to the 14th century and reflects the ideals of courtly love—a medieval notion that cast romance as a playful battle between suitor and beloved. During the fin de siècle, Émile Gallé revived this furniture form, drawing inspiration from the strong German influence in Alsace-Lorraine, a border region shaped by shifting cultural identities.
During the Art Nouveau period, inkwells became more than just functional objects; they were artistic expressions. They ranged from sculptural figurative designs to minimalist, refined shapes. The history of ink containers dates back to the Middle Ages when they were made from horn and leather and referred to as inkhorns or inkpots. Given the value of ink, these containers often featured covers or narrow openings to prevent evaporation or contamination. As civilizations advanced, so did the craftsmanship of inkwells and inkstands, evolving into elaborate objects of both necessity and beauty.
The choice of desk accessories told a great deal about the owner, that they were erudite and worldly, whether they loved Shakespeare or Socrates, In the 19th and early 20th centuries, as global communication expanded and education became more widely emphasized, the demand for inkwells surged. Potters, glassmakers, carvers, and metalworkers met the needs of a rapidly advancing society. Art Nouveau artists, in particular, embraced inkwells as a medium for fantastical expression. Sarah Bernhardt, the celebrated stage actress and patron of Art Nouveau, sculpted a self-portrait inkwell in the form of a sphinx. Meanwhile, François-Rupert Carabin created inkwells featuring women entwined with octopi—a symbolic nod to an ancient source of ink. This imagery, with its serene and sculptural quality, subtly referenced Hokusai’s Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife, where an octopus engages in an intimate encounter with a pearl diver.
Left: Sarah Bernhardt Self-portrait as a Chimera, inkwell c. 1879, Macklowe Gallery, Middle: Francois Rupert Carabin, Siren and Squid ca. 1900, Bronze, wood; Right: François-Rupert Carabin "Femme au Pieuvre" Glazed Ceramic Inkwell
Louis XIV of France, a master of dramatic flourishes, popularized the use of envelopes to ensure the privacy of letters. He had his secretary cut out forms using a template, then fold and paste them into envelopes for his communications with the court. Before the 19th-century, envelopes were rarely used by commoners. Paper was expensive, so letters were typically folded with their contents facing inward and then sealed.
In the mid-19th century, the United States and several European countries introduced postal reforms. In 1837, France enacted a law permitting all letters to be sent with flat-rate postage and prepaid envelopes, making correspondence more accessible across its vast colonial empire in an effort to "promote international unity." The growing use of envelopes led to the development of ornamental letter openers, which combined beauty with an element of danger—a contrast that particularly captivated Art Nouveau artists. Their handles featured intricate floriate and figurative designs, often inspired by the elegant, spear-like shape of the blade.
Art Nouveau Letter Openers, Macklowe Gallery Archive
Even before the introduction of the closable envelope, letters containing particularly sensitive or confidential content were sealed more securely, often with the sealing wax commonly used at the time. To break this seal, recipients used a small, sharp knife as a letter opener—often the same tool known as an erasing knife, which was already used for letter writing. With the large-scale production of envelopes beginning around 1860, the demand for a specialized tool quickly grew, catching the attention of manufacturers. As a result, the modern letter opener, with its pointed blade, evolved from similarly shaped paper knives. From today’s perspective, the Art Nouveau designs that emerged later still retained strong ties to traditional forms. The characteristic swirling ornaments, botanical patterns, and female nude figures—now considered hallmarks of early modern fine art—appeared not only on building façades but also on letter openers.
The objects displayed in our gallery not only preserve the history of writing but also reveal the deep cultural significance of communication as an art form. From the delicate craftsmanship of coffrets symbolizing love and devotion to the intricate inkwells and letter openers that transformed mundane tasks into acts of beauty, these artifacts speak to a time when correspondence was a ritual of elegance and intention. As we reflect on the evolution of writing tools—from handcrafted desk sets to mass-produced stationery—we are reminded of the enduring human desire to express, connect, and preserve our thoughts. While the digital age has reshaped the way we communicate, the artistry and sentiment behind these historic objects continue to inspire, reminding us that the written word, in all its forms, remains a powerful testament to our shared humanity.
Louis Majorelle Lady's Writing Desk "Aux Primeveres" and assortment of Majorelle Keys
