Description: The first set of salt & pepper shakers are 5" high and made by Rosenthal, Germany. White porcelain decorated with rose buds. They have sterling tops and bases. Second pair are made by Crown, sterling weighted and 4" high. The third pair, silver stamped 800 F Coppini, ornate and 2.5" high. Plus a small, silver "shaker" type item, weighted sterling, 2" high.

History: Where there is pepper, there is salt and vice versa; the oldest ‘couple’ in recorded history. Prior to salt and pepper shakers, salt blocks were kept in cellars and when salt was needed you had to ‘chip’ away at it. Pepper mills/grinders were used to ground peppercorns into the desired smaller particles for use. The Morton Salt Company 0f Chicago, in 1911, started adding magnesium carbonate in salt to prevent it from caking (going hard). This hardening occurred when the moisture in the air dampened the salt and when it dried out it hardened. Morton’s slogan “When it rains it pours” was very witty (amusingly clever) indeed. So even though salt and pepper shakers did not make their way onto the kitchen table until the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, Morton’s little ingenuity made it easy for the salt to pour out of the shakers. In those days a salt shaker had one hole and a pepper shaker two or three.

Provenance: N/A

Dimensions: Weight (Pounds & Ounces) = 1 | Height(in) = 6 | Width(in) = 8 | Depth(in) = 8

Size of Artwork(in): 5 x 2.25" largest.

Artist Name: Rosenthal, Crown

Medium: Porcelain, weighted sterling.

Circa: Early 20th Century.

Very good condition with only minimal amount of pitting and tarnish.