Salt 1755 - 1765

This is a salt cellar, made by Josiah Austin sometime in the 18th century, out of silver. Silver objects like this were raised by hand, a painstaking process of hammering the metal over and over again to stretch and shape it. Then, the feet of the salt cellar would have been cast separately, using a mold, and then carefully soldered onto the bowl. Notice how the quality of the silver, its cool luster, lends an air of refinement to even a humble object like this. Salt was an expensive commodity at the time, and keeping it in a special container was not just practical, but also a status symbol. The amount of work involved in its production, from the mining of the silver to the skilled labor of the silversmith, reflects its value within 18th century society. Recognizing the intricate relationship between material, process, and social status allows us to see beyond the object itself, and to appreciate the rich history embedded within it.