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These dishes and vessels were used to hold salt at the table. Notice the prevalence of aquatic imagery -- seashells, ships, sea-creatures, etc. -- a sort of symbol of the sea as the source of salt.
- Bronze salt cellar head from the Roman fortress at Inchtuthil in Perthshire, c. A.D. 82 and 87
- Saltcellar, French, mid-13th century (also here)
- Saltcellar in cast pewter, English, c. 1320
- The All Souls Salt, early 15th century
j saler of gold and of jaspis beyng upon a grene carage enameilled with egles.
Proceedings of the Privy Council of England
ij Salers of gold, whereof yt oon ys a man and yt other a woman, holdyng ye salers in her hondes.
Liber Memorandorum Camerariorum Receptae Scaccarii
An Olyfaunt of goold beryng a Saler in a Castell weyng by troye weight xvj lb v unces v peny weyght garnysshed..in the feet with iij grete perles iij grete Saphirs..and in the Coveryng of the Saler xij grete perles.
London Plea and Memoranda Rolls
Loke þy salte be sutille, whyte, fayre, and drye ... and þy salt sellere lydde towche not thy salt bye.
Duties of a Pantler or Butler, John Russell's Book of Nurture (MS. Harl. 4011) |
- A lidded saltcellar in a detail from The Death of Mary in an altarpiece from Vienna, c. 1469-1480
- Saltcellar in gold with enamel, agate, and pearls, 15th century (also here)
- A saltcellar shaped like a chair, Gesta Friderici I (ÖNB 403, fol. 53v), 1492
- A round lidded saltcellar in The Birth of Mary by Hans Holbein the Elder, 1493
- An open lidded saltcellar (with a handle?) in a detail from The Feast at Bethany from the Church of St. Korbinian at Thal, 1498
- Saltcellar made in Germany c. 1500
- Saltcellars in enamelled copper, made in Limoges, with pairs of busts; one from the late 15th or early 16th century, the other from the early 16th century
- The Frick's collection of 16th century enamel saltcellars
- A lidded saltcellar in The Moneylender and his Wife by Quentin Massys, 1514
- A lidded saltcellar in a detail from The Fish-Miracle of St. Ulrich from an altarpiece at Seitenstetten, 1518
- The Burghley Nef, made in Paris, 1527-28 (V&A M.60-1959). While this is a nef, the V&A's website says that it was used as a saltcellar. Another photo shows Tristan and Iseult on board.
- Silver-gilt salt made in Italy c. 1530 (V&A 2129-1855)
- Maiolica salt cellar made in Urbino by Francesco Xanto Avelli in 1532
- Silver-gilt spice-stand or saltcellar possibly made in Cordoba c. 1540 (V&A M.151-1921)
- Saltcellar, called the "Saliera" made by Benvenuto Cellini in Paris, 1540-43
- Saltcellar with emblems of Henry II, Saint-Porchaire lead-glazed earthenware, around 1540-60
- Glazed ceramic saltcellar, Saint-Porchaire lead-glazed earthenware, around 1540-60
- Saltcellar with a scene from the life of Moses, enamel on terra cotta, circle of Lonard Limosin, 1540-1560
- Saltcellar in the shape of an elephant made by Francisco Lopez c. 1550
- Saltcellar with the feats of Heracles, enamel on copper, circle of Pierre Raimond, second half of the 16th century
- Saltcellar of a young man holding a seashell on his shoulders, in gilt bronze, made in Italy c. 1560 (V&A 628-1865 and 629-1865; see also 627-1865, also made c. 1560 in gilt bronze, either in Germany or Italy)
- Onyx saltcellar with gold mermaid, 16th century
- English salt cellar in the form of an eagle, 1570
- Bianchi di Faenza armorial salt (or salt cellar) made in the workshop of Leonardo Bettisi c. 1570-80
- Saltcellar in openworked silver made in the last quarter of the 16th century
- Saltcellar in glazed earthenware, c. 1580
- Saltcellar made by Geeraert de Rasier in Antwerp in 1580-81
- Saltcellar in glazed earthenware made by Bernard Palissy between 1580 and 1600
[From] Sir John Parrett, one very small salte of aggett, with a cover and foote gold enamyled, garnished with small sparkes of rubyes and oppalls, the foote garnished with like rubyes.
Gifts given to Queen Elizabeth
1588-89 |
- The Mostyn Salt, silver-gilt, made in London in 1586-87 (use V&A 146:1, 2-1886)
- The Vyvyan Salt, silver-gilt with painted & gilded glass, made in London in 1592-93 (V&A M.273:1, 2-1925)
- Saltcellar in silver made by Adam Pröll in Nuremburg c. 1600
- Salt cellar in maiolica, probably made in the workshop of the Patanazzi family in Urbino c. 1600 (V&A 8402-1863)
- Small triangular saltcellars made in Germany in the late 16th century: V&A to search for 240-1874 (c. 1575), 2109-1855 (c. 1575), M.37-1953 (c. 1600), or M.36-1953 (c. 1600)
- Triangular golden saltcellar made in Germany c. 1580-1600
- A pair of triangular golden saltcellars made in Germany c. 1590-1600
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