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Nutmeg Grater

1840-1841 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A nutmeg grater is an implement for grating nutmeg (to be applied on punch, toddy or other hot beverages, or on meat or other food), used principally during the period 1780-1840. There were two types: (1) portable, made in a variety of shapes such as a cylindrical tube, a circular, oval or rectangular box, a teardrop, heart, egg, urn or rum keg and: (2) table type, half cylindrical or canoe shaped. Inside there was a space for the whole nutmeg, an iron or steel grater and sometimes space for storing grated nutmeg. Many examples bear a monogram but few a crest.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Case
  • Nutmeg Grater
Materials and techniques
Silver, machine turned
Brief description
Nutmeg grater, silver, Birmingham hallmarks for 1840-1, mark of Taylor and Perry.
Physical description
Nutmeg grater, silver cylindrical case, the cover of which forms a holder for the grater, both ends slightly domed, embellished with engine-turned decoration.
Dimensions
  • Height: 3.5cm
  • Length: 8.7cm
  • Width: 3.9cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Birmingham hallmarks for 1840-41 ("On case: sterling, duty , maker T +P for Taylor and Perry, anchor (Birmingham), date letter gothic R (1840-41) On grater: anchor, date~Label inside: “Garrard”")
  • Mark of Taylor and Perry
Credit line
Gift of Guy and Rupert Oswald Smith
Historical context
A nutmeg grater is an implement for grating nutmeg (to be applied on punch, toddy or other hot beverages, or on meat or other food), used principally during the period 1780-1840. There were two types: (1) portable, made in a variety of shapes such as a cylindrical tube, a circular, oval or rectangular box, a teardrop, heart, egg, urn or rum keg and: (2) table type, half cylindrical or canoe shaped. Inside there was a space for the whole nutmeg, an iron or steel grater and sometimes space for storing grated nutmeg. Many examples bear a monogram but few a crest.
Summary
A nutmeg grater is an implement for grating nutmeg (to be applied on punch, toddy or other hot beverages, or on meat or other food), used principally during the period 1780-1840. There were two types: (1) portable, made in a variety of shapes such as a cylindrical tube, a circular, oval or rectangular box, a teardrop, heart, egg, urn or rum keg and: (2) table type, half cylindrical or canoe shaped. Inside there was a space for the whole nutmeg, an iron or steel grater and sometimes space for storing grated nutmeg. Many examples bear a monogram but few a crest.
Collection
Accession number
M.907:1, 2-1927

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Record createdMarch 10, 2004
Record URL
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