Material

tin
copper

Purpose

The spice box allowed storage of the various spices needed for cooking in a protective container. Spices were so important and valuable to the cook in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that sometimes they were locked in the spice box.

Creation Date

1850 – 1899

Date Details

Spice boxes were prevalent during the Victorian era. There are several similar type tin spice boxes listed in 300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles (Franklin 395) that date from the mid nineteenth century to the 1930's. The spice box above most resembles the spice box that was noted in the American Home Cook Book in 1854 (300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles, Franklin 354) or the box found at the website of "The Forum Antiques" also dated latter half of nineteenth century. An exact date, nor brand name, for the spice box above could not be established, however, it may be rational to state that it could have been used in the mid to late 1800's as well.

Kitchen Artifact ID

K120