Salt cellars or dishes have been in existence for thousands of years. Salt as a commodity was extremely valuable as it was used for preserving and flavouring food and many other uses. In fact, it is the derivation of the word ‘Salary ‘as Roman soldiers were often paid in salt. (Were they worth their salt!
In Tudor England standing salts were important for the wealthy and were placed in the middle of the table and your importance at the table was marked whether you were above (nearer the master) or below the salt.
By the early eighteenth century in England pairs or sets of four (and occasionally larger sets) were common and the varieties of forms and sizes expanded rapidly throughout the eighteenth century culminating in some very exotic creations.
There were specialist salt cellar makers such as Edward Wood and David and Robert Hennell creating many different designs with the most common being the cauldron salt on three legs. Salts after about 1730 often had gilded interiors or blue or sometimes white glass liners.
At William Walter Antiques we always have an extensive range of salt cellars in a great variety of shapes, periods, and styles. You will find some of the earliest plain salts to the fine pierced salts of the later eighteenth century including some fine and rare examples.
