Pair of Wall Pockets

Public Domain

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Images(2)

CultureEnglish

Titles

Pair of Wall Pockets

Datec. 1755–1775

Made inEngland

MediumSalt-glazed stoneware

Dimensions.1: 10 7/8 × 8 1/4 × 3 3/8 in. (27.6 × 21 × 8.5 cm)
.2: 11 × 8 7/8 × 3 3/8 in. (27.9 × 22.5 × 8.6 cm)

Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, gift of Lavinia Boyd

Object numberB.2019.13.1,.2

Current Location

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens

Newport Room

On view

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Department

Bayou Bend

Object Type

CERAMICS

DescriptionIn the 1700s and 1800s in England, wall pockets portraying Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, like the ones here, were sometimes known as “cornucopias” or “flower horns.” Reaching the height of their popularity in the mid-1700s during the rococo period, these ornamental objects probably hung in dining rooms and parlors. Sold in pairs, wall pockets often were asymmetrical shapes with right- and left-handed examples. They were usually constructed of molded fronts 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 manufactured in delftware, creamware, pearlware, green-glazed earthenware, soft-paste porcelain, and white salt-glazed stoneware. With the rise of neoclassicism in the 1770s, the popularity of the form began to fade.
ProvenanceLavinia Boyd, Brenham, Texas; given to MFAH, 2019.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

[no inscriptions]

.2 - Verso: Sticker label in pen and ink, center: SALT GLAZE / HAWKINS / £370

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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