Ceramic owl-shaped salt cellars: 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 brightly colored base, the underside fitted with a cork stopper, bearing 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 contained powdered gum sandarac or fine sand, although coarser sand could also be used. For information on sand shakers, see Joe Nickell, Pen, Ink, and Evidence (New Castle, 2003).