Pair of Salts 1851 - 1855

These salt cellars, made of solid silver, are by the firm of Cann & Dunn. Though undated, they are stylistically typical of silverware made in 19th-century England. The first thing to notice is the extraordinary amount of labor that went into their production. Every surface is ornamented: note the cast legs, chased decoration around the body, and the reeded rim at the top. The silversmith would have had to be highly skilled to execute all these details to such a high standard. The material, too, is significant. Silver has always been a precious material, and in the 1800s would have been associated with wealth and status. Tableware like this was meant to impress dinner guests, a display of affluence made possible by the labor of others. These salt cellars reflect the complex social dynamics of the time, including the enormous effort invested in the production of luxury goods.