Flowerpots like bricks

The square flowerpots by Andries Copier date from the same period as his spherical vase. They are made from graniver, also known as ‘sand glass’ because of its granular structure, a form of pressed glass patented by Glasfabriek Leerdam in 1921. It was strong, inexpensive and easy to colour, making it ideal for tiles and flowerpots.

Copier’s first flowerpots, designed in 1927 and intended mainly for the then-fashionable cacti and succulents, were circular with rectangular feet, resting on a circular ‘saucer’. The model on the windowsill in the living room is the square version, designed two years later. This variant has two rectangular protrusions and indentations, allowing several pots to be linked to create a continuous row. According to brochure that announced the launch of this design, tellingly entitled A Discovery!, this produced a ‘strong decorative effect’.

Andries Copier, KO 1264/1277 square cactus pot, 1929, collection Het Nieuwe Instituut. (Enrichment)