A rare Edwardian silver novelty inkwell in the form of the 'Resurgam' submarine, with hinged lid, Birmingham 1906 by Martin Hall & Co, length 17.5cm. Note: the Resurgam submarine was the brainchild of the Reverend George Garnett. The 14-foot-long hand-cranked Resurgam was built in 1878 as a weapon to penetrate the chain netting placed around ships' hulls as a defence against torpedo attacks. Nicknamed 'The Curate's Egg', its small size rendered it largely ineffective. It was followed by a second and more famous 45-foot Resurgam II in 1879. After a successful trial, it was planned for the Resurgam to travel from Birkenhead to Portsmouth for a demonstration to the Royal Navy but unfortunately, after mechanical problems, the main hatch could not be fastened and Garnett's submarine eventually sunk off Rhyl on 25th February 1880.