Sander or pounce pot

1840-1880

Measurements

3 in x 2-3/4 in (dia)

Materials

Boxwood

Credit Line

Historic Odessa Foundation, The David Wilson Mansion, Inc.

Accession Number

1971.843

Provenance

Ex coll. Mrs. E. Tatnall (Mary Corbit) Warner

Comments

This cylindrical box with holes pierced in the lid was made to sprinkle pounce--a fine mixture of sand and/or other powders--that, when sprinkled on a writing surface still wet with ink prevented the ink from spreading.  Pounce also absorbed moisture, thus accelerated drying.  Pounce pots were also called sanders, sand casters, and other terms.

This caster was turned from boxwood, a lightweight and durable wood that turned easily.  This example was turned in two parts:  the bowl-like lid appears to be one with the cylindrical middle.  The base is a slightly different color.  Although it is now firmly attached, it originally unscrewed to allow additional pounce to be added to the container.  Similar boxwood casters survive in English collections.

Other boxwood casters in the Historic Odessa collection are accession nos. 1959.3553 and 1959.3801.