Pair of Wall Pockets

Wall pockets, or wall-mounted flower containers, first were made from porcelain in China in the 1600s. In the 1700s and 1800s in England, wall pockets, like the ones here, were sometimes known as “cornucopias” or “flower horns.” Reaching the height of their popularity in the mid-1700s, these objects probably hung in dining rooms and parlors. Sold in pairs, wall pockets were usually constructed of press-molded fronts or slip-cast fronts and then half joined to flat, slab backs, which were pierced twice to allow for a wire for hanging. England produced a wider arrange of wall pockets than any other country. They were made in delftware, creamware, pearlware, green-glazed earthenware, soft-paste porcelain, and white salt-glazed stoneware.

In the mid-1700s, English potters developed a light- or cream-colored earthenware body that, when coated with a lead glaze, yielded wares with a glassy, shiny surface. Josiah Wedgwood continued to refine this pottery, which he later called “Queens’ Ware” because of a commission he received from Queen Charlotte in 1765. Many potteries produced these wares, employing numerous techniques to decorate them. To create the color on this wall pocket, the potter applied metallic oxides to the surface of the once-fired ware before applying the lead glaze. A second firing fixed the glaze.