Ceramic salt shakers in the shape of an owl: rare 19th-century items

A naturalistically shaped and painted owl on a domed base. Height: 4 1/4 inches (10.8 cm). Another porcelain sand shaker (sander), manufactured by the Kuznetsov Porcelain Factory, Tver, mid-19th century. A stylized owl on a bright base, the underside fitted with a cork stopper, with a blue factory mark. Height: 5 1/8 inches (13 cm). In the 19th century, documents were sprinkled with powder or sand to accelerate ink drying and prevent smudging. Sand shakers typically contain powdered sandarac gum or fine sand, though coarser sand could also be used. For more on sand shakers, see Joe Nickell, Pen, Ink, and Evidence (New Castle, 2003).