A wall pocket is a vase or planter with a flat back and a hole for hanging, made to hold flowers or greenery on a wall instead of a table. They were everywhere in American homes from the 1920s through the 1950s, and collectors love them for their shapes and colors. Here's where they came from, who made them and how to use one today.
A short history
English potteries were making wall-mounted flower holders, often shaped like cornucopias, by the 1700s. The idea stayed popular through the Victorian years, but the real boom came in the twentieth century, when potteries turned them out in every shape and color for kitchens, porches and sunrooms.
Who made them
- American potteries: Roseville, Weller, McCoy, Hull and Shawnee all made wall pockets, often to match their vase lines.
- Japan: Japanese makers exported huge numbers, from shiny lusterware in the 1920s and 1930s to the colorful figural pieces of the 1950s.
- Czechoslovakia: Brightly painted birds perched on branches are a favorite from the 1920s and 1930s.
Most are ceramic, but wall pockets were also made in glass, metal and wood.
What they were used for
- Fresh flowers, with a little water in the pocket.
- Ivy and other cuttings, left to root in water and trail down the wall.
- Dried flowers and grasses.
- Everyday odds and ends. Kitchen wall pockets often held matches or string.
Shapes you'll see
Cones, fans and cornucopias are the classic forms. Figural pockets are the most fun to collect, and they come as birds, owls, parrots, cats, fruit, flowers and faces.
How to date one
- Check the back and base for a mark. American potteries often molded their name and a shape number into the clay.
- Japan or Made in Japan in a mark generally means 1921 or later.
- Made in Occupied Japan dates a piece to the years 1945 to 1952.
- Czechoslovakia in a mark means the piece was made after 1918, when the country was formed.
- Many pieces only ever had a paper label, and those are usually long gone. Shape, glaze and style are the clues for those.
What to check before you buy
- Look closely at the hanging hole. It carries all the weight, so chips and cracks often start there.
- Hold the piece up to the light and look for hairline cracks.
- Look inside for water lines and mineral stains.
- Check painted details for wear. On many Japanese pieces the color was painted over the glaze, and it rubs off with washing.
Hanging and using one
Hang a wall pocket on a screw or sturdy nail set into a stud or a wall anchor. For fresh flowers or cuttings, tuck a small glass or plastic liner inside so the water never touches the pottery. Old pieces can seep through crazing or an unglazed interior. Dried or faux stems are the safest choice for fragile or painted pockets. To clean one, wipe it with a damp cloth and skip the soaking.
Wall pockets in the shop
We currently have a pink cat wall pocket with applied roses, a parrot wall pocket planter and an owl wall pocket vase. You can also browse our vintage home decor for more one-of-a-kind pieces. Every piece is the only one we have.