18th century writing sander (pounce pot), as in books and museums

Being offered is a beautiful 18^th century fruitwood sander, circa 1750. It is 3” high, 2 ¾” diameter on the top, and 2” on the bottom. Inside the top of the bowl is a perforation in the shape of a star.

In the 18th century, writers used a "writing sander" or "pounce pot" to dry ink quickly and prevent smearing by sprinkling a fine powder, often cuttlefish bone or sandarac resin, onto the wet ink.

There are examples of this sander in “Collector’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution” by Neumann and Kravic and a section of one in the Fort Ticonderoga collection (see pictures). With all of the documents, orders and correspondence written during the war, a sander was a very important part of the preparation. This example is probably English and brought over to the colonies during the Revolutionary War.

With the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding this year, interest in the Revolutionary War and its relics is expected to significantly increase. This renewed enthusiasm will drive demand for virtually all Revolutionary War artifacts, further contributing to their scarcity and rising prices.

Already, I am witnessing a notable uptick in purchases of these items, which reflects the growing anticipation for the anniversary and the heightened value of Revolutionary War memorabilia.