Mr. Punch in the Arts: A Mr. Punch Blotter Holder, 1900

Blotter Holder with Figure of Mr. Punch
Cast Brass
English, 1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Everybody loves Mr. Punch, and they’ve done so for centuries. In the Nineteenth and Twentieth Century, in Britain, Punch was a household figure whose countenance appeared on a variety of everyday objects due to the popularity of Punch & Judy shows as well as Punch’s appearances in the magazine which bore his name.


This cast brass blotter holder shows the variety of objects to which Punch has lent his image. The work of an unknown maker, this object would have been used each day. Blotter paper was inserted into the curved bottom of the piece and used to absorb excess ink from written pages.

I rather imagine that our Mr. Punch would have enjoyed rocking back and forth, though I’m sure he’d have objected to being employed for something useful.