Bequeathed by Miss Hannah Irving

Acquisition RF: 21 / 5834
Bequest - Miss Hannah Irving
From the 17th century, bottles and casters for seasoning food were part of grand centrepieces in the wealthiest French and francophile homes. A more modest cruet frame, glass or silver casters for oil and vinegar on a silver stand, first appeared in France at the end of the 17th century and quickly spread to other countries. Cruet frames became useful utilitarian objects and grew in size in England to accommodate mustard, sugar, pepper and other seasonings. In the early 19th century, the frame would remain on the table for much of the meal although later in the century etiquette books recommended : " However handsome a cruet stand may be, it should never be placed on the dinner table, either at small or large dinner parties; its proper place is the sideboard." Manners and Tone of Good Society c.1880.
Anchovy was a fish sauce made from a small, Mediterranean herring. Ketchup was a sauce or relish based on mushrooms, mixed with fruit juices such as cucumber or tomato. The word is said to have come from the Chinese for the brine of pickled fish.

M.354:17-1921