Edwardian Salt Shakers
Edwardian salt shakers are small silver, glass or plated condiment vessels that bring period character to a dining table.
Edwardian Salt Shakers
Edwardian salt shakers appear as individual table salts, paired shakers, part of larger cruet sets, and figural novelties. The most common form on this page is the sterling silver shaker, often accompanied by glass liners or blue glass interiors.
The objects span periods from the Victorian era through the Edwardian years into the 1920s and 1930s, reflecting changing dining fashions. Alongside standard shakers and salt tubs, buyers encounter novelty pieces shaped as animals and characters.
How they were made
Silversmiths shaped sterling silver and silver plate through casting and hammering to create bodies, caps, and cruet frames. Many pieces incorporate cut glass bodies or blue glass inserts, combining metalwork with glassware.
Novelty shakers required skilled casting to model animals such as owls, chicks, dogs, and pheasants with realistic detail. Pierced tops or removable screw caps allowed the contents to be dispensed.
Mr Punch's dog Toby makes an unexpected appearance as a cast silver figural pepper.
What varies in quality
Quality rests in the crispness of casting, particularly on figural novelty pieces where fine feather and fur detail elevates the work. Heavy gauge sterling silver constructions outlast thin silver plate or fragile glass alternatives.
Completeness alters the character of a piece, as matching cruet sets or pairs retain greater integrity than single survivors. Maker marks and clear hallmarks provide reliable indicators of origin and standard.
Goldsmith & Silversmith's·Bricks & Sons·Sampson Mordan
The Edwardian Salt Shakers Glossary
- Cruet set
- A matched collection of condiment bottles, shakers, and mustard pots held in a stand. These sets formed an essential part of formal dining tables.
- Salt tub
- An open vessel designed to hold salt, frequently lined with blue glass. Diners used a small spoon to serve the salt rather than shaking it.
- Pepperette
- A small shaker specifically intended for dispensing ground pepper. The term often appears in descriptions of Edwardian silver tablewares.
- Silver plate
- A base metal coated with a thin layer of silver. This technique offered the appearance of solid silver at a lower cost.
Edwardian Salt Shakers: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Edwardian salt shaker?
An Edwardian salt shaker is a small container used to dispense salt on the dining table, typically made around the start of the twentieth century.
These pieces use materials such as sterling silver, silver plate, and cut glass, often featuring pierced tops for shaking or open salt tubs paired with glass liners.
How were salt shakers used?
They sat upon dining tables as part of individual place settings or within larger condiment cruet sets alongside mustard pots and pepper pots.
Diners used them to season food during meals, while open salt tubs required small spoons to scoop the salt onto the plate.
How do I clean silver salt shakers?
Silver shakers require gentle cleaning with a specialised silver cloth to remove tarnish without damaging the soft metal or delicate pierced lids.
Glass liners and removable components can be washed separately in warm soapy water, ensuring they are thoroughly dried before reassembly.
Are novelty pepper pots genuine?
Novelty pepper pots take the form of animals, birds, and characters such as owls, dogs, and chicks, reflecting Victorian and Edwardian tastes for whimsical silver.
Maker marks and hallmarks stamped into the silver help verify the period and authenticity of these sculptural condiment pieces.