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1828-1829

Nutmeg Grater

Charles Rawlings and William Summers

English, active in partnership from 1829

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In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, nutmeg was considered a stimulant as well as an aid to digestion and was added to a variety of foods and drinks. Beginning around 1780, it became fashionable to carry one’s own nutmeg to spice up beverages such as mulled wine. Silversmiths, some of whom specialized in producing nutmeg graters, responded by introducing a range of inventive shapes.

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Charles Rawlings and William Summers, Nutmeg Grater, 1828-1829 | Philadelphia Art Museum