1850s Black Painted POUNCE POT with Green Paper Underneath from Stonington CT Estate

Item Details

Treen turned wood pounce pot with original dark surface, circa 1830s to 1850s. The pounce box or ink sander is made of turned wood, likely maple, finished in a dark surface. It has nice turnings. The base is round with a bulbous center, a narrow waist, and a wide open cup at top. The top has thirty seven holes drilled into the center, in the form of a six pointed star (Star of David). The pot has a dark colored finish with just the right amount of wear around the edges. The bottom retains its original green paper, though worn and dirty. The Dennison label is a later addition, showing it was part of a collection or loaned for an exhibition many decades ago. Silliman & Co. of Chester, Connecticut, manufactured similar pounce pots, and this example may be from that small company. A pounce pot, filled with pounce or a fine sand, was used to dry pen ink on paper and would be made obsolete with the introduction of the blotter in the mid to late 19^th century. This one came from an estate near Stonington, Connecticut. It measures just under 3” in height is just over 2 ½” in diameter at the top of the cup. The pounce pot is in good to very good condition with the wear and soiling consistent with its age and light use. There is a minor crack between the holes of the star, going through the center hole, as well as some minor dings around the edge of the cup at top. A very nice early American treen pounce pot!