Dr. Ralph and Mrs. Olga Crawford Canadian Dental Collection
Category
Communication
Administrative
Business
Writing accessories
Classification
Communication
Administrative
Business
Writing accessories
Accession Number
010020513
Description
Rocker style wood ink blotter, also known as a desk blotter, made of brown wood in the style of Penkala-Moster; bottom half is semi-circular, and covered in a strip of faded green bristol board; the bristol board covers a beige coloured blotting paper; the top of the blotter has a curved wooden han…
Rocker style wood ink blotter, also known as a desk blotter, made of brown wood in the style of Penkala-Moster; bottom half is semi-circular, and covered in a strip of faded green bristol board; the bristol board covers a beige coloured blotting paper; the top of the blotter has a curved wooden handle screwed into it; beneath the arch of the handle is a stamp of a profile of a man's head with a pointy nose, and a very large ear with a long pencil tucked behind it.
Number Of Parts
1
Provenance
Transfer from the Dental Canada Fund; previously housed in the Dentistry Canada Museum (Ottawa)
Underneath the arch of the handle on the top of the blotter: "PATENT // MOSTER"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-C7-2
Dimension Notes
Length 17.3 cm x Width 8.0 cm x Depth 7.0 cm
Condition Remarks
Blotter shows signs of use and wear; scratches all over, as well as ink stains.
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Internet
Reference Comments
"About Eduard Slavoljub Penkala" website
Research Facts
Dr Ralph and Mrs Olga Crawford donated their extensive Canadian dental collection to the DCF to create the museum in 1997; further donations were received while Dr Crawford was Curator Emeritus at the Dental Canada Museum until its closure in 2008.
The Penkala-Moster Co. was established in 1906 by Eduard Penkala and Edmund Moster to manufacture Penkala's new invention of the mechanical pencil; the company was successful and diversified into writing instruments and accessories patented by Penkala; a second factory was eventually opened up in Berlin; the company still continues to this day.
When a pen and ink were the tools used to hand write, the ink tended to stay wet and coudl smear if not blotted. A rocking wood ink blotter was used to blot ink and prevent it from running, smearing, or smudging.