1871 Nut shaped English sterling Nutmeg grater Hilliard and Thompson Birmingham

Description

RARE and highly collectible Antique 1871 Nut shaped English sterling silver Nutmeg grater by Hilliard and Thompson, Birmingham. Marked for maker and date, in Very good Original condition. Measures 1 1/2" long and weighs .6ozT. The value of this piece is not in the weight but the rarity. When you open the silver nut there is a place under the grater for the nutmeg nut then you close the grater and outer case to carry in your pocket. In as found condition with some left over debris from a nut on the grater and it has not been polished by me.
This spice may seem humble and unassuming — something you add to a chicken dish or cake to give it a warm note — but nutmeg has quite a colorful and dark history that includes espionage, battles and lots of murders. It was also super pricey. According to thespruceeats.com, in the 14th century, half a kilogram of nutmeg cost as much as three sheep or a cow. In 1760, the price of nutmeg in London was 85 to 90 shillings per pound, a price kept artificially high by the Dutch. One of the reasons nutmeg was so valuable and costly is because it took five years for the seeds to grow. A check online shows that today the price for whole nuts can range from for 3.5 ounces to 0 for 55 pounds.
Nutmeg was also highly coveted and revered by wealthy and fashionable people, so much so that they carried around their own nutmeg graters that were small enough to fit in a pocket so they could add a dash of it to anything at any time, which was usually punch and other beverages. These graters are now a valuable collectible.
I use standard industry quality descriptions for vintage and antique items but if you have questions please just ask.
Most of my items come out of estates on Martha's Vineyard and other places in New England. The island of Martha's Vineyard where I had lived for the past 18 years is home to many old original families of sea captains and sailors so fascinating things come up when there are estate sales. Please check my other listings. I am putting up a large collection of glassware, china, linens and clothing I have gotten over the years out of these estates. I try to do a lot of research and give good descriptions but I am not an expert in everything so please ask questions or if you know something about a piece and are willing to add your input into my listings please contact me!
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