Pounce Pots to Pownce

Light On Light Through · Sep 6, 2007

I was just looking at the small collection of sanders my wife and I have acquired over the years...

No, it's not a collection of power tools - I don't really do too much woodwork.

The sander - also known as a pounce pot - was a crucial part of the quintessentially Victorian writing process. You started, of course, with paper, pen, and ink. But the ink back then was not quick-drying.

So you sprinkled some sand or pumice on to your paper, and gently blew it off.

And the pounce pot or sander held the sand. The pots came in various styles and constructions. My favorites are wood, porcelain, and…