The predecessors to wall pockets, those flat-backed ceramic vases intended to be hung on a wall, were wall-mounted wooden boxes that held candles, matches, or eating utensils, as well as cloth pockets designed to hold sewing tools such as scissors, thimbles, or thread. Decorative wall pockets, or “wall vases,” first became home fixtures in the late 18th century, when porcelain potteries were popping up all over Europe. Staffordshire, Minton, Continue Reading