Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, Double Inkwell with Clover Motif

This antique, Art Nouveau/Jugendstil double inkwell with glass inserts is early 1900s, possibly late 1800s. It is more than likely German and could possibly be bronze, but I am not certain about this latter attribute.

The mark on the bottom reads "Gesschützt," which actually means "protected." Many mistakenly believe this is the maker's mark.

The lids to the inkwells bear identical letters and numbers. The DRGM stands for Deutsches Reich Gebrauchs Muster (a patent mark). Items made in Germany and Austria from 1891 until just before the end of WWII in 1945 bear this mark. If a DRP appears along with the DRGM, this means the item was made before WWII, like this inkwell.

The design and the numbers (OEP 10585, DRGM 168180) of the inkwell may be attributed to Henry Van de Velde.

Condition: There is some verdigris and pitting to the surface of the stand, the latter of which is the most visible as seen on the left front edge appearing as two black spots. Also, the tenth photo shows an imperfection in the glass of one insert. This is not a crack, and the insert does not leak. Please examine the photos carefully and do let me know if you need more as I'll be happy to oblige. Finally, I've not attempted to clean the piece but will leave this up to the discretion of the new owner.

Dimensions are 7.5" x 6", and the inserts have a depth of 1.25".

Thank you for looking.