Sander, circa 1840

Writing with a quill or metal nib pen can be messy. Ink could smear with the slightest touch. This sander held sand or powder that writers sprinkled onto the paper to absorb wet ink. Once the ink dried, users poured the powder back into the shaker-like container. By the late 1800s, inexpensive and easy-to-use ink blotters replaced the sander and its powder.