Hi and welcome to our Show and Tell. We are showing off some of our fun items that we collected throughout the years. If you see something of interest and are in the USA please contact us. Then we can possibly list and reserve the item you’re interested in at our Etsy store for purchase. For pickup only items we can list and reserve the item at our Ebay store. We are not selling items through this website, it is for Show and Tell purposes only. Thank You!
Antique Jennings Brothers Bronzed Lidded Inkwell w/ Milk Glass Insert. Signed J.B. for Jennings Brothers/ numbered 84 who are know for their wonderful old metal ware and metal art.
Inkwell is in good condition. with the bronzed finish wearing off in spots on the inkwell. insert is dirty and well used but dont see any damage. Looks like Spelter and non magnetic. Fun piece for the budding forge worker. Have some cool reading from oldfield forge and bridgeporthistory at bottom of page.
Inkwell is 6″ wide x 4 1/2″ deep x 4″ tall to top of hammer. Weight is nice at 1 pound 3 oz. If you have the matching set and need the inkwell here you go!
Guessing made early 1900’s. Nice antique JB inkwell! Please check pictures for description and condition.
Blacksmithing origins first trace back to 1500 BC when the Hittites discovered the process of forging and tempering iron ore. When the Hittites were scattered in 1200 BC so was their knowledge and understanding of basic iron work. Launching into the Iron Age, a process to produce wrought iron was developed through reducing natural iron ore with heat. This new substance could be used to make simple tools that proved much tougher and sharper than stone.
The Jennings Brothers Metal Foundry was opened by the 3 Jennings Brothers in 1890 in Bridgeport, CT. Their offices started in 2 small wood buildings and their foundry in a brick building. Ultimately, they expanded to a larger factory building which was located on Elm Street in Bridgeport.
They specialized in metal art and maintained a staff of artists and sculptors to craft their metal art objects (“Nouveau” metal art) which included clocks, bookends, statues, metal cases, candelabras and some silver-plated utensils. Their original items were signed with the initials “JB” on each pieces. Many JB objects are sold at auctions. Older residents of Brideport can probably find at least one JB object in their house.
In the early 1950’s the Jennings Brothers Manufacturing Company went out of business and the art object casts were purchased by another company in Philadelphia, PA. They used the original casts to manufacture replicas which are cheaper versions of the original items sold at art auctions.
