Private correspondence became fashionable in high society in Europe in the XVIII century and writing sets served as desk decorations. Craftsmen created writing sets for all tastes: massive, delicate, elaborate and elegant. Writing sets were often decorated with the coat of arms or monograms of their owners. They had built-in clocks, mirrors, small hidden drawers and other fancy details. Affluent customers chose writing sets consisting of candleholders, trays for quills, sandboxes, paper knives. 

Ink wells differed in size depending on the country and epoch. They were made of porcelain, metals, stone or polymers. For wealth homes, craftsmen made pieces of precious metals, richly chased with precious stones, painting and enamel. 

 
Simpler sets consisted only of an ink well and sandbox on a stand. Portable travel sets were also popular, they were transported in a small box with flap lid. The bottom of such sets held a spill proof ink well, a small candleholder and a couple of sharpened quills. 

Similar ink sets took the central place on desks in the XIX century. They were used for business correspondence, writing documents, recording expenses and doing other writing jobs. 

Exquisite writing desks were an inseparable part of the culture of writing and epistolary genre of the XIX century. With the advent of modern writing instruments they went out of use.