Salt cellar c. 1790

These salt cellars, made of silver by an anonymous maker, are a testament to the refined dining culture of their time. Silver, prized for its luster and resistance to corrosion, elevates a simple condiment to a symbol of wealth. The silversmith's craft involved a series of skilled techniques. Hammering would have been used to shape the silver, while chasing and engraving created the delicate details. The decorative piercing, that ring the upper edge of the cellars, required a steady hand. The cellars' design, with their elegant feet and symmetrical form, reflects a broader interest in Neoclassical ideals. These objects speak volumes about the social rituals surrounding dining, and the desire to display one's status. The material itself, and the labor invested in transforming it, should make us consider the hierarchies of taste and value that were so important in the past – and which still shape our world today.