Inkhorn

This inkhorn was a gift from king Gustav III of Sweden to the poet and composer Carl Michael Bellman, when he was appointed secretary of the court in 1776. Originally meant as a brush washer, it was manufactured in China in the first half of the 18th century. The container made of soapstone is embraced by a small human figure flanked by lotus flowers. When remade into an inkhorn in Sweden it was given a crowned silver lid, along with a memorial inscription. When lifting the lid another inscript