[Sca-cooks] period spice containers/storage

[Johnna Holloway]

Victoria and Albert Museum   http://collections.vam.ac.uk/
uses descriptions like these the spice ones.
Spice-stand Place of origin:Córdoba (possibly, made) Date: about 1540  
(made)

Materials and Techniques: Silver-gilt, raised, chased, embossed, cast  
and matted
This triangular vessel from Spain, similar in form to small salt  
cellars, may have been used as a spice dish. The decoration is  
inspired by motifs found on classical antiques and architecture, such  
as the scroll-shaped feet, the three supporting figures in the shape  
of grotesque females and the reliefs around the sides depicting  
cherubs fighting dragons. The dragons have been based on images in  
bestiaries, books about the behaviour of animals, which were used by  
Renaissance artists as sources for design.

The Met in NYC has one described as: Spice Plate
Italian, Venice (Murano) Date  ca. 1558
Medium  Glass, diamond-engraved
Dimensions Diam. 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm.)

They also have elaborate spice boxes in metals with lids that lift.

Johnna

On Jun 24, 2011, at 4:07 PM, Elise Fleming wrote: snipped
>
> I'm not coming up with a good name for that type of plate at this  
> moment.  Someone else might have a more functioning brain (Johnna?  
> Doc? Bear? Adamantius?...?) as to what that serving utensil might  
> have been called.
>
> Alys K.