American
Pen Cleaner,
Silver, 3.2 x 2.9 cm (1 1/4 x 1 1/8 in.)
This small cylindrical American pen cleaner is made of sterling silver. The round top is filled with compact bristles of a bush, and appears to be the part that cleans ink from pens. The container has a narrow plain lip around the top of the ornamented, slightly indented sides. A circle of relatively large, five-petaled flowers are engraved on the top half of the lateral sides with three long leaves and a swirling pattern of interlocking c-shaped lines between each flower. The lower half of the container is plain. This object is in poor condition having several large patches of tarnish or other damage that have dulled and darken these areas. On the bottom of the container there are four engravings, "A," "sterling," "137." and a small animal that looks like a dragon.
Little Salon
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.