A fine quality late 19th Century gilded ormolu desk inkwell, stamped; Somani, Paris. Having wonderful stylized scrolling foliate and shell like decoration, with a hinged central lid.

Paul Sormani (1817 – 1877) was a preeminent 19th Century Italian cabinetmaker (é;bé;niste) of Lombard-Venetian origin. Having moved to Paris, Sormani established his workshop there in 1847 and soon began producing high quality items of standard and fantasy furniture, which he described as meubles de luxe (‘luxury furniture’).