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The Commons: Re-Enchanting The World, Common Salt

Bottle with 16 pieces of ribbon, brocade and silk packed in salt. Given by husbands to their brides as a sign that she was 'worth her salt'.
This bottle, which is probably of American origin, is filled with sixteen pieces of ribbon, brocade and silk packed in salt. Bottles of material packed in salt were traditionally given by husbands to their newly married brides as a sign that she was 'worth her salt' - that she was useful. The long narrow neck of the bottle is covered with a one cent copper coin of the United States of America, dated 1836.

1 bottle: glass; good condition

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'Bottle filled with scraps of attractive material pack in with salt were given by a husband to his newly married bride to show her that he considered her ‘worth her salt’, i.e. sufficiently useful to earn her upkeep. // This bottle contains about sixteen pieces of ribbon, brocade and silk. It is 6 inches tall and 2.4 inches in diameter at the base. It has a long narrow neck and is covered by a one cent copper coin of the United States of America, dated 1836, bearing a woman’s head on the obverse with “liberty” written across her headband and a wreath of leaves on the reverse. The coin is covered over by black material kept on by brown thread. It seems quite likely that to put a coin over the opening of the bottle was a significant part of the custom. // Miss Lavinia Smith was an American who was domiciled in England. It is therefore quite possible that this bottle is of American origin, either brought over by Miss Smith herself or given to her by an American friend. The custom however formerly existed in England.', No Lavinia Smith No. recorded.

1836 - 1836

Rippon, Miss Dorothy May Lyddon (Agent)