Description:
One of a pair of English delft cornucopia-shaped wall pockets, a wall-mounted flower container, with a bird-on-twig design and decorated in Fazackerly colors of pale blue, yellow, green, purple, and orange-red. The colors of the pigments of this wall pocket form the basis of the Liverpool attribution. Fresh, dried and artificial flowers were commonly used as room decorations in the 18th centuries, and were displayed in pockets, flower bricks, vases, pots, and bowls. Wall pockets, which first appeared in China in the 17th century, reached the peak of their popularity in mid 18th century England. Wall pockets came in three basic shapes: faces (the incorporation of a human visage or grotesque mask in the design), balusters, and cornucopiae. Sold in pairs, they could be symmetrical or asymmetrical with left and right-handed shapes; examples such as these asymmetrical horns of plenty or cornucopia pockets were termed "flower horns" in 18th century documents. Wall pockets found their way to the American market in limited quantities, and advertisements for them in American newspapers are rare. William Ellery of Hartford advertised delft “flower horns” in the Connecticut Courant of November 5, 1771. The Ellery day books list sales of “1 pr. Large grane [green?] Flower horns” 6s to John Ledyard, Esquire on August 24, 1767, and another pair of “large Agle [angel or eagle?] flower horns” sold to him in May 10, 1768 for 4s 6p. 18th century delftware potteries rarely produced molded forms, preferring to paint the thick tin glaze for decoration. A mold directly taken from a Staffordshire model may have inspired this design; identical examples appear in Staffordshire lead-glazed earthenware with metallic oxide colors. Given the proximity of Liverpool, where most of these pockets were produced, to Staffordshire, there was undoubtedly an active exchange of design ideas, potters, and technology. As in this example, pockets were usually constructed of press-molded fronts joined to a flat, slab back, which was invariably pierced with two holes for hanging.This horn is press-molded in a manner following the decoration; the shaped rim has a shell in the center flanked by two flowers with scrolling leaves; and the body is decorated with a large bird perched on a flowering branch.Delftware wall pockets more commonly survive singly than in pairs. Dated wall pockets are rare. A twisted cornucopia pocket, painted in blue with floral sprays, is inscribed "17 IGI 48" on the back. Another pocket, also ornamented in blue, bears a relief dolphin, or "flying fox," mask above satyr's head and is inscribed "PM/1769" on the reverse. Numerous wall pockets of this particular form are known. Most of them have identical molded decoration but slight variation in the length and spiral fluting of the lower part indicates at least two different molds were used to make these.
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https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+56.415A |
