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

Being offered is an18th century sander, circa 1750. It is 3” high, 2 ¾” diameter on the top, and 2 1/2” on the bottom. The top is perforated to sprinkle the contents on the writing.  

In the 18th century, writers used a "writing sander" or "pounce pot" to dry the 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 the top 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 before or 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.