Jan and John Maggs Antiques
A Group of Sanders (or Pounces)
The beautifully-formed, turned wooden objects pictured above are called "sanders" or "pounces". In the centuries before blotters (now passé, as well!), these writing desk accessories were used to shake "pounce" onto wet ink. Our Random House Webster's defines pounce as: "a fine powder, as of cuttlebone, formerly used to prevent ink from spreading, or to prepare parchment for writing." The term "sander", suggests a coarser material, thereby obscuring the nature of the process. Although we've never seen ground cuttlebone, intuition suggests that it would be rather more fine than the content of the playground sandbox.
At any rate, having accomplished its task, the pounce might then be returned to the sander, to be used again. This would help to explain the shallow bowl at the top of most sanders -- a funnel to avoid wasting this no doubt precious substance. To see a sander in action, watch Joseph Fiennes as the playwright in a writing frenzy in Shakespeare in Love.
Details on the group of five, above, beginning at 12:00 and proceeding clockwise:
#16504 Rare, in that is was made in three sections screwed together sections. 3-3/4" tall. $225
#16794 Petite, but not tiny. 3" tall. $110.
#16994 Tiny and unique in form. 2-1/4" tall. $125.
#16993 Very small and of typical form. 2-1/4" tall. $125.
#15273 Classic form and proportions. 3" tall. $175.
The Internet contains a number of sources for additional information on sanders and pounce. Use the links below to read some very interesting material.
Click on the picture to return to the Smalls Gallery.
