Rare Victorian Sardine Box / Tureen

Good overall condition, usual signs of age and use. No cracks or repairs. Rubs to gilding, etc.

Size: 12cm x 11cm x 7cm

Sardine boxes made of porcelain, pewter and silver are interesting fare to collect. Made specifically as a serving piece to hold sardines for the dinner table, they were quite the status symbol for the Victorians. Remember those Victorians had a fork or plate for every conceivable food but especially for expensive foods.

We often think of sardines as lunch box food to be served with crackers, which has been the case for almost 200 years. But, think again. Sardines have gone through cycles from being relatively inexpensive to quite the gourmet treat. Part of this is due to an area being fished-out which causes temporary shortages and part of it is to people acquiring a special taste for sardines from particular areas.