Miniature Horn Cruet Set Antique Scottish 1920s Individual Salt Pepper Shakers
£55.00
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Miniature Horn Cruet Set Antique Scottish 1920s Individual Salt Pepper Shakers
£55.00
Item Overview
- Type: Antique Individual Table Cruet Set / Tiny Dining Table Condiment Shakers and Lidded Pot
- Designer: Traditional Scottish Horn-Smith / Studio Artisan
- Brand: Unbranded Antique Treen & Bovine Art
- Manufacturer: British Artisan Workshop (Alternatively Scottish Horn Turning Studio)
- MPN: Does Not Apply
- Place of Origin: Scotland / Northern England, United Kingdom
- Style: Antique Miniature Novelty / Traditional Scottish Thistle Hornware / Early Art Deco Dining
- Colour: Translucent Honey Amber, Dark Chocolate Brown, Charcoal Black, Creamy Ivory Mottled Streaks, and Polished Finial Highlights
- Design Era: Late Edwardian / Interwar Art Deco Period (Circa 1920s)
- Material: Hand-Turned Natural Bovine / Cow Horn, Carved Animal Bone / Finial Detail, and Fitted Threaded Bases
- Set Includes: Three (3) Miniature Table Pieces: One (1) Small Lidded Mustard Pot with Matching Horn Spoon, One (1) Three-Hole Pepper Shaker, and One (1) Single-Hole Salt Shaker (Complete 3-Piece Matching Multi-Pack Combo)
- Features: Dainty Hand-Turned Ovoid Thistle Contours, Varied Translucent Biological Ribbon Grain, Threaded Removable Underside Plugs, Fitted Inset Lid with Cut-Out Spoon Aperture, Flared Circular Pedestal Bases
- Condition: Excellent Antique Condition with Genuine Age Patina (All components are structurally solid; the miniature shakers retain their original hand-threaded horn base plugs which screw smoothly, and the tiny lidded pot includes its corresponding hand-shaped serving spoon)
- Size and Capacity: Rare miniature individual-place footprints; each tiny shaker and lidded pot measures approximately 1.5 inches in total height (approx. 3.8 cm) including the upper lid finials.
Dating & Historical Context
- Dating: This exceptional matching trio of individual table condiments dates to the post-Edwardian interwar period (c. 1920s). The production diagnostics—most notably the hand-carved natural bone crown finial, the manually bored distribution holes on the shaker domes, and the precision-threaded internal horn base screws rather than mid-century cork or push-in rubber plugs—are definitive characteristics identifying premium early 20th-century British horncraft.
- Historical Note: Hand-turned hornware holds a deep, celebrated lineage across the British Isles, specifically within the historic horn-smithing quarters of Scotland and northern England. Long prized as a natural alternative to early metals and ceramics, natural bovine horn features fantastic organic resilience and a highly unique, prismatic opacity that cannot be replicated synthetically. This set beautifully showcases the iconic "Scottish Thistle" profile, scaled down into a rare, miniature format meant for individual place settings at high-end dining tables during the 1920s. Rather than covering the material with ornamentation, the maker relied on the natural graining to decorate the smooth ovoid surfaces. A particularly wonderful asset to this lot is the survival of both the matching condiment spoon and the hand-threaded base plugs, completing a collector-grade presentation that appeals directly to connoisseurs of early kitchenalia and regional folk art.
Description
An incredibly visual and highly tactile acquisition for collectors of traditional country house kitchenalia, early table settings, or period prop curators, this three-piece organic condiment collection is overflowing with rustic character. The set presents a stunning harmony of natural tones, showcasing a shifting matrix of amber honey, cream-coloured marbling, and intense dark charcoal zones across the matching shaker bulbs. Designed to sit elegantly as a focal centerpiece on a dinner table, each individual piece has been meticulously lathed down into a smooth, tactile egg-shaped silhouette that highlights the biological beauty of the horn.
Expert Identification & Design Features:
- Rare Individual Scale: Features a scarce, dainty 1.5-inch profile tailored specifically for formal individual place settings rather than shared family use.
- Complete Matching Suite: Provides a fully cohesive presentation, featuring the highly elusive lidded mustard pot alongside its matching salt and pepper shakers.
- Art Deco Baluster Contours: The smooth, elongated teardrop profiles provide a beautifully balanced geometric presence that pairs wonderfully with minimalist design layouts.
- Original Threaded Basework: Both shakers are engineered with wide, hand-threaded internal base plugs cut cleanly from dark horn, providing a secure seal that prevents spills.
- Artisan Serving Spoon: Includes a beautifully contoured miniature serving shovel formed directly from matching amber horn, carefully tailored to sit nested within the lidded pot's rim gap.
Condition Report
This vintage three-piece cow horn table set is in excellent condition, displaying an abundance of authentic character and superb structural preservation despite its delicate, miniature scale. The hand-turned outer bodies and delicate pedestal rims are entirely free from cracks, splitting, stress fractures, or perimeter edge chipping. The natural translucent finish remains smooth with a pleasing hand-rubbed wax sheen. Both shakers are clean internally, and their heavy-duty threaded base plugs are fully intact, threading together securely without cross-bites. The lidded pot functions flawlessly with a flush-fitting top, and the accompanying horn spoon is structurally sound with no splits along the neck. (Please inspect the detailed gallery images for a full view of the varying biological grain patterning and to verify physical proportions).
Shipping & Logistics
- Domestic Shipping: FREE UK TRACKED DELIVERY.
- Packaging: The components of this 3-piece horn group will be wrapped independently in high-density bubble cushioning to prevent surface friction, clattering, or scratching during transit, and shipped together inside a rigid container to guarantee safe arrival.
- Dispatch: Order before 12.00pm and we ship same day.
Returns & Payment Policies
We want you to be delighted with your heritage find.
- Not as Described: In the unlikely event of an error in our listing, we will provide a full refund and cover the return postage costs.
- Change of Mind: We accept returns within 30 days; however, in these instances, the buyer is responsible for the return shipping costs.