posted 01-15-2007 06:10 PM            

I am confused! Not too difficult, I know, but I've been wondering about what differentiates sugar casters from peppers (or pepperettes, pepper pots etc.)?

In my youth, pepper was contained in a pair of baluster shape casters about 5"-6" tall with small dot punched holes around the top to prevent one from shaking too much of the fine pepper onto ones plate of roast beef.
Caster sugar, on the other hand, was served up in a massive (probably about 7"-8" tall) caster with intricately cut apertures around its top.

However, these days, I see the terms sugar caster and pepper pot both frequently applied to what I would regard as peppers with simple round holes and I've seen one monstrous octagonal sugar caster with the most beautifully cut apertures described as a pepper pot.

I appreciate that pre-20th century pepper was ground at home and often wasn't as fine as today's pepper "dust", but surely there must be some positive distinction between the two vessels?

posted 01-09-2011 02:13 PM            

I have seen that sugar casters are normally larger than others. And some must have smaller holes. These little things might have a meaning.
Yesterday I bought this.

Late empire caster marked 2 times with GW Danish master from Århus Georg Christian Adler Wolf (Volf) he uses both W & V. Born 1819 in Haderslev, works in Hamburg. Citizenship in 1850 in Århus October 14th. Hee dies 1867 vidow continues until 1870.

The caster is heavily used - and the late empire style is not really my thing. But I found it at a reasonable price. I will post a few more casters for debate. What where they used for?

Another late empire caster. This time Copenhagen 1827.


And two more Randers 1813 left and an English right London 1845


And finally Copenhagen from 1819. Note the 1819 and 1813 they are empire before this late empire - the late added did something with look.

All pretty most same sice. Late empire 8cm - the 2 empire 10cm in height.

And question was - whats is the difference between use of different casters? What differentiated the different purposes in those days?
?

posted 01-10-2011 11:57 AM            

We can reason following. Cheap products must have larger casters than expensive products.

Sugar casters tend to be larger than others.
If you use large amounts of product - then larger casters.

If holes are small then fine powder, if holes are large then not so fine powder.

We tage another late empire caster.


And await some clever answers.