Featured An uncommon item...

Recently a pair of odd little tongs were shown in a silver group, with some unlikely suggestions for their use made - while I'd never actually seen a pair, knew I'd seen similar in a reference somewhere. Unfortunately, my memory just isn't what it used to be, so it took a while to find it - figured I ought to buy them after the effort, so I did.

They're late 19th century English parcel-gilt sterling salt sifter tongs, and work quite well, though it's a bit much just to sprinkle a bit of salt (likely the reason they're so uncommon). Both bowls are pierced on the plated piece shown in the 1880s catalog illustration, would think the single pierced bowl more practical...

Sheffield 1893/94, maker Harrison Brothers & Howson, 2-3/4" long, the working ends 7/8" in diameter:













~Cheryl

 

I love them! Much more practical than the plain salt spoons they sell with cellars now I would think.

The humidity spiked here recently and now we're having to decant the salt to bake the water out. I was just thinking today how it would be nice if I had something more than a regular spoon to dip in the new salt jar. Apparently the Victorians thought so too.

 

it's very pretty in it's own right...just sitting there !!!!

 

In retrospect, the square perforations were a clue. I love all the purpose specific cutlery the Victorians came up with.

 

A modern Japanese salt sifter (cute, but not as elegant):


https://www.amazon.com/parapara-Sieve-White-about-LS1547/dp/B07DKSHVTJ/ref=sr_1_7?crid=15GQSBTV1IXQH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GvYEWcoCfVFrroaIYW1_myXF2DeiX75_mJwtenPWDz-AzJuhq9TAadX96kHqokpjfwao_7S-tu5mZ6t3qOBW3jueKkqT-8d1qOp-l1gHQMzjarI9hEnbwpaN-6rip5voZBJLeehHPwr4ia5qj5NRCq9QYVOX0nNz6AZUmQtkDEwWzYwjDla_8BCjM8iLu7RPLiwG8bqOgE1jY1GrT8ntxJ0NgeZnDmtT2-eE-IENgdv-JKJVMJWX1H7z5mHKhFFpIqYNWvtoIkbHSzHBkpxX00LEnJcVyosGQuOIXNVarcc.3e6F6i2GN2DsbtJGBGXHuPHuOMZ32fB8-4gpTig9nfY&dib_tag=se&keywords=salt+sifter&qid=1731585057&sprefix=salt+sifter,aps,160&sr=8-7&th=1

It is a rather sweet piece...

My thinking as well, especially with both the illustrated piece and mine both having them - I've had salts and salt spoons that bore square scars from those cubic salt crystals...


~Cheryl

 

Here are my other salt sifters:




And a 1907 ad including a salt sifter often misidentified these days (even firmly identified as a corn butterer, used to scoop up butter and run those tiny holes over the entire hot cob as the butter melted - such silliness):




~Cheryl

 

Very cute. Practical too, to gild it. Salt eats silver, and gilding it would stop the reaction. Plastic and stainless don't have the problem, but what proper Victorian would want low-class tableware like that?

 

Those are some crisp hallmarks if I’ve ever seen any. Interesting placement. Can’t have seen much use at all, looks pretty mint.