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November 21, 2009

Salt dips bring back good memories

BY MARY WICOFF The Commercial-News Sat Nov 21, 2009, 07:33 PM CST

TILTON — When Peggy (Tuggle) Rose saw the small bowls at flea markets, she was hooked on their simple beauty.

“They were so pretty, I had to have them,” she said.

Not only that, but the bowls — called salt cellars or salt dips — brought back memories of her childhood in the 1930s.

She started collecting the containers, measuring between 1 and 2 inches, in the 1950s. Eventually, her collection of cellars in different colors, shapes and varieties grew to the point where she couldn’t count them.

Lately, she’s been giving them away, and brought about three dozen from her home in Punta Gorda, Fla., to give to her niece, Alice Lyons, in Tilton.

“They’re beautiful,” Lyons said. “When you look at them, they’re so pretty.”

Rose, 80, grew up in Danville and graduated from Danville High School in 1946. Her father was L.A. Tuggle, Vermilion County superintendent of schools for several years.

With six sisters and three brothers — plus their children — there was a Tuggle in Garfield School for 50-plus years, she said.

Rose worked at the telephone company before leaving Danville when she was 19 years old. She’s been married to Russ Rose for 50 years.

Lyons’ father, Floyd Tuggle, was Peggy Rose’s brother.

Rose recalls having meals as a child and using the salt cellars. Families bought the dips in sets, such as four or six at a time, so there would be one at each place setting.

“I remember all these salt dips sitting around and dipping celery into them,” she said.

Some of the cellars have small spoons, but Rose doesn’t remember using spoons. Well-to-do families probably used silver salt spoons, according to a Web site about salt and pepper shakers.

Salt cellars date to the early 1800s, when a master salt was placed on the table. The master salt was passed to each diner, who would place an amount into the small cellar at his setting. Then, that person would sprinkle the desired amount onto his food, according to the site.

The cellars were used through the 1940s, when salt and pepper shakers became common.

Rose said her mother had a collection of more than 1,000 shakers, and Rose also has a bell collection.

Although Rose remembers using salt dips, she doesn’t recall how her family handled pepper.

The idea of using salt dips was new to Lyons, who said, “I never heard of them. I just thought these were so interesting.”

Rose found many in her collection at yard sales and flea markets. Her husband said, “They’re not common. You rarely find them at flea markets (anymore).”

Rose remembers that the cellars came in all different shapes and colors, and even recalls six-sided ones. The dips in her collection include clear glass, as well as red and blue glass. Some are shaped like chickens or birds; some have lids, and some have legs. Even the spoons come in different shapes and styles.

Many of the salt dips look alike, but they have different designs or patterns on the bottom.

“It’s amazing how many different ones there are,” Lyons said. “I just think they’re so cute.”

Salt cellars are still made today, but many are ceramic or stoneware, and are used to hold other condiments as well as candy and nuts.

Lyons said she plans to put her new collection into a cabinet, and plans to keep them in the family.

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