Dutch Delft Blue Cornucopia Wall Pocket, 19th Century

• Cornucopia - The cornucopia, literally the horn of plenty, is a symbol of abundance and wealth. It is traditionally is represented by a curved goat horn overflowing with grain and fruit.
  
  Modern cornucopias are often depicted as horn-shaped baskets filled with food, and this symbol is often associated with the harvest. This decorative device has a long and ancient history, with roots in Greek mythology.
  
  In one version, when Zeus was playing with the goat Amalthea he accidentally broke off one of her horns. To atone for this, Zeus promised Amalthea that the horn would always be full of whatever fruits she desired. This became the cornucopia of the Roman goddess Copia, the personification of plenty. Other goddesses, including Fortuna and Pax, also held the cornucopia.
  
  In furniture and decorative arts, cornucopia as a decorative element have been popular since the 16th century and can be found on items as diverse as light fittings and candelabra to clocks, sculpture and statuary and furniture.
  
  In ceramics, cornucopia shaped vases were popular in the 19th century, in singles and pairs.
• Wall Pocket - A wall pocket is a ceramic vase of flattened shape, pierced at the back so it could hang on a wall, and sometimes tapering to a point at the base. They were often made in quaint shapes such as fish, a mask, or a cornucopia. They became popular in the eighteenth century and continue to be made to the present day. Porcelain examples were made by Worcester in a very elaborate form, while those designed Clarice Cliff and Longwy were streamlined and often in pleasant pastel colours.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• Delft pottery (Netherlands) - other items 64