Updated | As Barack Obama, the President of the United States, addressed the nation with his State of the Union Tuesday night, a shiny object just above his head on speaker John Boehner's desk proved a distraction to some viewers.
That object is an antique inkstand, dating back between 1810-1820, with three crystal inkwells inside it. According to the United States House of Representatives archives, the coin-silver inkstand is placed on the rostrum before the Speaker calls the House to order.
It was created by J. Leonard, a Washington silversmith and watchmaker, and historians estimate it has been in the House since 1819.
The inkstand is quite ornate, each foot of the tray has a snake wrapped around it with a swag on one side and eagle on the other. The symbols represent unity and wisdom. And now the historic artifact sits near Boehner's frowny face.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Polly Mosendz is a breaking news reporter for Newsweek. She was previously a staff writer for The Wire and associate ... Read more
