Open salts are small dishes used to hold salt at individual place settings on the dining table before the invention of the shaker. Dining guests used tiny spoons or their fingers to take salt from the open bowl and sprinkle it over their food.

Why do some salts have glass inserts?

Glass liners were placed inside silver salt cellars to prevent the salt from corroding the metal over time. These removable inserts made cleaning the vessels much easier after a meal concluded.

How are Victorian salts dated?

English silver pieces feature hallmarks stamped directly onto the metal, including maker's marks, city assay marks, and date letters. Matching these letters against official assay office records reveals the exact year of manufacture.

Were these sold in sets?

Table salts frequently appear in matched pairs or sets of four to accommodate multiple diners around a table. Some examples were produced as part of larger fitted cruet sets that also held mustard and pepper.