The Victorian Period, 1837 to 1901, was the 64-year span of Queen Victoria’s reign. There were five distinctive styles of furniture, with Gothic and Rococo being the most popular. An office or study would be found in a larger, more affluent home. In a more modest household, one might have a desk or writing table in the corner of a room. In this post, I have selected items that would furnish function or decor to the Victorian office or study.
The Victorian office may be formal or not, filled to the brim or austere. What I like about these furnishings is that they may have been passed down from previous generations and held in high esteem, and so the office itself becomes an archive of records and furnishings for the family who abide in the house. Then come those thoroughly modern inventions of course to liven things up.
An Antique Office Desk Set
This rather complete set for the desk was made in Italy around 1900. Pieces are wood, delicately painted with florals and then gilt to create a luxurious setting to pen letters. I imagine it may have been purchased on a honeymoon tour of Europe for an affluent young couple. It also could have been given to a young woman as a gift from her parents. The rocking blotter was so necessary to soak up the excess ink delivered by an elegant dip pen. What a far cry from today when we might use gel ink pens that are disposable when empty. Even though it seems this is so much easier, I still smudge my writing!
An Inkwell and Pen Holder
This is a cast iron stand that ensures that it would not be easily moved around on a desk by the curious and fun loving family cat. The back rack holds three pens, as in dip pens. It is rather convenient to have two inkwells with two different colored inks. A person might prefer blue ink for social correspondence and black for business letters. If one kept ledgers with black and red inks, it would be quite easy to tell if they “were in the red.” I was honored to acquire some items from a Victorian woman doctor. She always carried a red ink-filled fountain pen as well as a black one when fountain pens were more widely used. She wrote important notes on the patient’s chart in red to alert herself and other hospital workers as to special conditions or treatments.
My husband, aka ThreePointsofView on Etsy, sold a fountain pen to a modern day doctor who still uses them because he can tell if someone was trying to write prescriptions or making chart notes. He said that the ink that flows from the nib of a fountain pen is as unique as his personal handwriting.
A Typewriter
This American Hammond No.2 Typewriter brought the office leaping headlong toward the 20th century. I wonder if Victorians would have been thrilled to get one and take the course from the included pamphlet? Would they have said, “I am not going anywhere near that!” The thing is, not everyone had good penmanship and a typed correspondence would be easier to read. This innovation allowed a new vocation in the outside office and who knows? Perhaps a typist would come to a private home to complete an important missive or document. It is important to be able to read cursive handwriting because earlier letters and documents were penned and not typed. It may take a while to understand a cursive letter or two because the writer’s hand is also unique.
I hope you enjoyed the Victorian office collection I have assembled for you today. Intrigued? Here are two resources:
Dip Pens & Fountain Pens: Not as Similar as You Think by the Postman’s Knock
A Brief History of Typewriters by The Classic Typewriter Page
