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May, 2017 The Antique Shoppe Page 21
PICKLE CASTORS

Victorian Things of Beauty

By Larry LeMasters
LeMasters’ Antique News Service
I eat pickles from the jar. My mother put pickles The silver frames often are embossed with
on the table in a bowl. But Victorian women cherub, animal, or flower motifs, and have lacy
served them fancy. Beginning sometime around filigree, raised floral, or shell designs. Nature is
the start of the Industrial Revolution, let us say the most common theme found on a pickle castor
1865, manufacturers began offering women ornate frame. And the glass jars, hand blown by Victorian
pickle castors with which to serve the lowly pickle craftsmen, are delicate offerings that raise even the
at luncheon, dinner, or tea parties. lowliest cucumber to the status of a pickle.
The term “castor” is a derivative of “caster,” Collectors display pickle castors as
which is a small, cruet for condiments. Pickle Victorian works of art, taking care to expand their
castors are, in their simplest form, functional collections by looking for famous silversmiths’
dinnerware pieces designed to hold pickles. At markings on the bottom of pickle castors. Some
their best, pickle castors are things of beauty. And, companies to look for include Derby Silver;
as John Keats waxed, “a thing of beauty is a joy Simpson, Hall & Miller; Reed & Barton; Rogers,
forever,” which is reason enough to collect pickle and Meriden B. Company; although, most
castors. silversmiths of the late 1800s produced pickle
Victorian pickle castors castor frames.
have ornate frames of plate A good reference guide for novice
silver (some are sterling pickle castor collectors is Bernice
silver) with colorful, fitted Thach’s The American Pickle
glass jars, lids, and tongs. Castor: a Comprehensive photo and
Together, a pickle castor price guide to the Victorian pickle
blends the beauty of art castor 1865-1900. This book is a Antique, Victorian hand-
glass with the metallic collector’s item in its own right painted satin glass pickle
glint of silver. since it is no longer in print. castor with no markings
on castor; $300.

Pewter timed graniteware Victorian, silver plate pickle castor
pickle castor, late 1800s. with “Bees & Green” honeycomb
Antique pickle castor with peach- This castor is shown in the glass insert. There are nearly 100 bees
blown floral enameled motif; 1892 Manning Bowman & decorating this castor holder. Made
$1,500. The silver plated holder Co. catalog and is valued at by the Meriden Silver plate Company,
is marked “James W. Tufts.” $2,000 on today’s market. this castor is valued at $1,250.

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