Lot Essay
Pounce was originally a powder sprinkled onto parchment to aid its use as a suitable surface for writing. When paper replaced parchment, a circular pounce-pot with a dished saucer-shaped top was used, to assist retaining the valuable pounce-powder. This type of powder was known as sandarach. The powder was sprinkled onto the paper and resin rubbed in with fingers or a pad to prevent the ink spreading. At the end of the 18th century, when paper quality had improved so much that its preparation with pounce-powder was unneccessary, another problem arose : the ink stayed wet on the page, so another type of pounce-powder, usually powdered-chalk, was developed (E. H. Pinto, Treen and other wooden bygones, London, 1969, p. 261 & figs. 264 S & U).
A muffineer is a treen version of the silver sugar caster, used to sprinkle sugar or spices such as grated cinnamon over muffins.
A muffineer is a treen version of the silver sugar caster, used to sprinkle sugar or spices such as grated cinnamon over muffins.