Brass Blotter Designed by Iona Celtic Art
Groam House Museum

This is an example of a functional object which has been embellished with highly-decorative design, in keeping with the ethos of the Arts and Crafts movement.   

Blotters were used to accompany ink pens. When pens were dipped into ink there was often too much liquid on the paper which needed ‘blotting’ or soaking up.  

This design is highly distinctive, with the ‘galleon’ motif likely inspired by the fifteenth-century monument known as Abbott MacKinnon’s Cross. It is a good example of the way the Iona Celtic Art industry, led by Alexander and Euphemia Ritchie, drew inspiration from the designs around them. The pair moved to Iona shortly after their marriage in 1898, setting up a workshop the following year which was to have a long-lasting impact on the creative industries of the region.