Recently, while browsing the aisles at a local antique center, I came across this cute and rather unusual vintage salt and pepper shaker set made in Japan. Because our kitchen is decorated in a farmhouse style, I was immediately drawn to it because of the subject matter. I also marveled at the clever design – how the two chicks were connected and served as a holder for the egg-shaped salt and pepper dispensers. I hadn’t seen anything like it before, and just had to have it!
Salt and pepper shakers come in almost endless shapes and sizes and can be found made from a variety of materials from glass to ceramics to wood. It would seem that salt and pepper shakers have been around since the beginning of time, but actually this isn’t the case. Salt and pepper shakers really didn’t come into play until after 1911, when the Morton Salt Company first started adding magnesium carbonate to its salt. Prior to this, salt would easily cake up and it wouldn’t work to try and pour it from a shaker-style container. Instead, people would use small dishes called salt cellars, using a tiny spoon to serve the salt.
According to the Smithsonian Magazine, salt and pepper shakers really started to take off during the Great Depression because manufacturers were forced to focus on producing smaller, less-expensive products, and the salt and pepper shaker was an obvious choice. By the mid-century, shakers were a popular souvenir which tourists could collect from the different destinations they visited. Many manufacturers, from larger companies to local artisans, were producing shakers in every shape and style you could think of. A huge range of collectible shakers were produced in Japan during this time as well.
Collecting salt and pepper shakers is very popular hobby not only because of the huge range available, but their small size also makes them easier to store and display. They are often inexpensive and can usually still be used for their original purpose – switching them out as desired depending on the season or occasion. They are an easy way to add something fun and quirky to your décor that really helps personalize your space.
Make sure to keep an eye on the Kitchen & Dining collection in our shop to see the latest we have available.
Do you collect salt and pepper shakers or own any interesting ones? What are your favorites?
- Brittany
