The based formed as a grassy mound vegetation of broadly rectangular form, textured appropriately, a pen recess to the front. The detachable figure of a donkey statant, saddled and laden with affixed with twin basket panniers textured to resemble wicker, the pull off lid of various game, fruits, and sections of wood. The interior of the panniers fitted with lift out gilt silver mounted inkwell and nib box. Fully marked to the base, part-marked to the side of a pannier, lid section, and lids of the two wells. Length - 18.6 cm / 7.3 inches Weight – 738 grams / 23.73 oztNotes:A similar donkey form inkstand, 1845 marked for John Samuel Hunt, engraved underneath "Gee Up Neddy” referring to the nursery rhyme "Gee Up Neddy To The Fair: What shall we get when we get there, A penny apple or a penny pear, What shall we get when we get there!", was sold: Adams, Dublin, 15 Oct 2024, lot 401 (€11,000 hammer) A slightly simpler model of 1842 by Messrs Angell was sold Bonham’s New Bond Street, 2 July 2008, lot 219 (£6,600 incl. prem) This stand is an early example of novelty silverware involving animals, something that grew throughout the 19th century. An earlier example is a mustard pot formed as a monkey attending to a barrel, 1825 marked for John Bridge, illustrated Culme, J. (1977), 19th Century Silver. Littlehampton Book Services Ltd: p. 134. This design derived from an earlier French model by Odiot. An electroplated novelty inkstand of children around a grotto by Elkington and Co, of a type exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851 is illustrated ibid, p. 156. Later in the 19th century James Barclay Hennell excelled at animal form silver items from claret jugs to a bear form table lighter, illustrated ibid. 187.