Norwegian Silver Viking Ship Open Salt

                                                                                                                                               I've been collecting silver for years, and have had an interest in Scandinavian history since early childhood, perhaps triggered by the Danish part of my heritage.  As a souvenir spoon collector, I have many featuring Vikings, their ships, etc. - and also a collection of silver, pewter and celluloid open salts in the form of tiny longboats/longships, most with matching salt spoons.  The one featured today is an early 20th century piece by Marius Hammer (1847-1927), beautifully crafted of .830 fineness silver, it's a less realistic shape than many of the Viking Ship salts, but more practical with its shallow wide body, still retaining a light gold-wash and its original clear glass liner.  The tiny fierce dragon heads with their ribbed rings have wonderful detail, and the simple gold-washed ball-twist spoon has a bowl formed from a 1911 10 Ore coin.  The same design salt (missing the rings and liner) is shown in Heacock & Johnson's 5,000 Open Salts, #4261.

The Marius Hammer workshop in Bergen, Norway opened in 1871, with production of quality pieces until 1930, the marks used were a conjoined hammer/M, "MH", or "M.HAMMER".  Here's a great website, The Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks: http://www.925-1000.com/.

This is a 1904 ad for Hammer, noting his specialties and achievements, the 1811 start of the family firm (by Søren Hammer), and the endorsement of King Edward VII.

5,000 Open Salts: A Collector's Guide by Heacock & Johnson is usually considered the salt collector's "Bible" and invaluable for research; The Open Salt Compendium by Jzyk & Robertson is a luscious volume, filled with color photographs of beautiful and often uncommon salts.