Inkwell (Hovhannes Shedigian)
Name/Title
Inkwell (Hovhannes Shedigian)Description
This inkwell, originally from Kharpert, belonged to Hovhannes Shedigian (1876-1950). He acquired it at the age of eight, likely as a gift from his parents to encourage his budding writing skills. Hovhannes later immigrated to the United States, and I’ve been able to trace his descendants. Nadia’s mother’s sister was married to Shedigian. A pivotal moment in Hovhannes’s life was when he went to Syria to pick up a wife, Nadia’s aunt, and her mother. She described him as a tough man but noted his deep involvement in the Armenian community. Hovhannes had a brother named Tateos who survived the genocide and relocated to Iran. Toward the end of his life, Hovhannes visited him in Iran, where he passed away abruptly during a picnic and was buried in Tehran. The inkwell itself contains the mark of ՅԱԿՈԲ and was likely made in Aintab by Hagop Boshgezenyan who started his career in 1841-2 and was active several decades after.Category
Inkwells
Ethnography
Cultural Region
* Untyped Cultural Region
Ottoman EmpireCulture/Tribe
Armenian