a rare steel combination inkwell and perpetual calendar, tula, late 18th century

the globe finely chased with cornucopia enriched with gilded metal details, opening by means of a spring mechanism at the urn-form finial to reveal an inkwell and a sander, the square foot with a border of foliage, the revolving domed top inscribed with rows of numerals which correspond to the days of the week inscribed on a gilded ring thus forming a perpetual calendar.

J. Kugel, Paris

For an inkwell of comparable design, see, M. Malchenko, Art Objects  in Steel by Tula Craftsmen, Leningrad, 1974, pl.81.