English Sterling Silver Salt Cellar with Cobalt Blue Glass Insert - 1.430 ozt.  Marked on the sides and  bottom. Weight is without the insert. 

Size: 2 3/4 x 1 7/8 x 1 1/2 in. 

Weight: 1.430 ozt. 

A salt cellar is an article of tableware used for holding and dispensing salt, known by various names including salter, salt dip, and master salt, and can be lidded or open. These vessels have a long history dating back to ancient Rome, evolving into elaborate forms during the Middle Ages, with styles ranging from simple wood to ornate silver and ivory. The introduction of free-flowing salt in 1911, aided by anti-caking agents in the 1930s, led to a decline in their use, largely replacing them with modern salt shakers. However, salt cellars were among the earliest acknowledged collectibles, with a booming market developing due to the mass production of tiny salt spoons during the Industrial Revolution. Museums like the Cracow Saltworks Museum in Poland hold extensive and valuable collections of these historic items, including objects made of porcelain, gold, silver, glass, wood, bone, quartz, mother-of-pearl, and much more, with some pieces valued at many tens of thousands of dollars.

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