51/889/1-2

Nothing is known of the origin of this pepper pot. It is made of blue glass and has a pewter top and base. Pewter was traditionally used for condiment sets.

1 pepper pot: glass; metal; good conditionThis pepper pot is made of blue glass with a pewter top and base. The top has been made from several pieces of metal, namely, a flat ring which screws onto the glass and fans out at the top, a curved lid which sits on this and which has an ornamental knob in its centre and a thin band of pewter which binds these two parts together. The knob and this band have been milled like the edges of a coin. The base is detachable. It curves in a slight shoulder at the edge and then forms two short steps up the side of the glass. The glass bulges out in a treble rim below the lid, it then forms a gentle curve out into the main of the container. This gradually narrows to a neck and on this neck there is a narrow rim. Below this the glass broadens to meet the pewter base. On this glass part of the base there are two chips one on either side of the pot.

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'This pepper pot is made of blue glass with a pewter top and base. The top has been made from several pieces of metal, namely, a flat ring which screws onto the glass and fans out at the top, a curved lid which sits on this and which has an ornamental knob in its centre and a thin band of pewter which binds these two parts together. The knob and this band have been milled like the edges of a coin. The base is detachable. It curves in a slight shoulder at the edge and then forms two short steps up the side of the glass. The glass bulges out in a treble rim below the lid, it then forms a gentle curve out into the main body of the container. This gradually narrows to a neck and on this neck there is a narrow rim. Below this the glass broadens to meet the pewter base. On this glass part of the base there are two chips one on either side of the pot. It is 4.5 inches tall and 1.85 inches across the broadest part of the glass. // See also 51/679L.', MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 51/679 – 'Spices were known in England in early times through overland trade with the East but were not imported very generally until the formation of the East India Company at the beginning of the 17th century and were much welcomed because until the 18th century when Townsend and Coke improved farming and the turnip and other fodder crops were introduced, there was no fresh meat in winter. The salted meat had to be highly seasoned during cooking to make it appetising. // Pewter took the place of wood for plates and dishes in the 15th century and by the beginning of the 17th century it was in general use and remained so until the 19th century when crockery largely replaced it, although for condiment sets pewter continued in use., Lavinia Smith Catalogue (D60/28) - 'A list of the contents of the East Hendred museum. July 5 1940 // 621. A defective condiment set, pewter.' (It is possible that this pepper pot was once a part of the set Smith describes in her catalogue)

Metal, pewter, Glass

Rippon, Miss Dorothy May Lyddon (Agent)