Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum
Have you ever collected something? For years, I collected goofy earrings. Why do we human beings do this? Historian Megan Cooper offers some possibilities in her article, “Why Do People Collect Things? 9 Common Reasons.” [Supply link to article here.] Below is her list.
9 Reasons People Collect Things:
- Sentimental Attachments
- To Connect to Their Childhood
- To Gain More Knowledge and Learn About Something New
- To Connect with the Past
- Pleasure and Enjoyment
- To Make a Future Investment
- The Community It Creates
- Recognition and Prestige
- The Thrill of the Hunt
A while back, I saw a delightful collection at the Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. With a ticket price of only $3—which can be redeemed if you buy a pair of shakers in the gift shop—this place is the best bargain in the touristy Smoky Mountains. (Children under 12 are free.) The museum houses 20,000 salt and pepper shaker sets—all collected by one woman, Andrea Ludden. I include her story below in italics, as copied verbatim from a sign posted in the museum.
Andrea was born in Belgium and spent the majority of her life in South America working as an archeologist.
Many years ago, she came upon the wide world of Salt & Pepper Shakers while traveling and working in North America.
Andrea realized the rich historical significance behind such a “common” household item—the shaker. As she used to say, “You can do an anthropological study with the shakers, and see how civilization changed from the 20’s, the 40’s, the 60’s, until now.
One of the main purposes of the museum is to show the variety, the creativity and the artistry that can be found in salt and pepper shakers.
Walking through this family-run museum, I marveled at the abundance, variety, and creativity of the collection. For some subjects, such as cows and frogs, there were at least a hundred variations. Here are a few more subjects to give you a range:
pigs, sheep, chickens, fish, penguins, seagulls, whales, dolphins, sea shells, crabs, lobster claws, pirate chest and skull, boats, mermaids, ice cream cones, toaster and coffee pot, onions, corn, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts, peanuts, fried eggs, hamburger and shake, French fries and ketchup bottle, hot and cold faucets, refrigerators, mixers, toaster and coffee pot, lawn mower and driver, sewing machines, driver and passenger in a car, musical notations, bull and matador, Jonah inside the whale, bride and groom, male and female pilgrims, bowling ball and pin, telephone and directory, typewriter and desk, and, my personal favorite, Mona Lisa and a picture frame.
The museum also shared some interesting information about salt and pepper. Here in the U.S., where too much salt is considered bad for you, the salt shaker has fewer holes than the pepper shaker. In Europe, apparently, it’s the other way around. Sometimes, both shakers have the same number of holes.
Upon reflection, I believe that I collected earrings for two of Cooper’s nine reasons: 5. Pleasure and Enjoyment, and 9. The Thrill of the Hunt. I suspect Andrea Ludden had similar reasons as well as: 4. To Connect with the Past. Why do you collect what you collect?
John Connolly says, “Writers are magpies by nature, always collecting shiny things, storing them away and looking for connections of things.” Perhaps even this blog, “Just About Anything,” is my collection of quotations, ideas, people, places, and experiences. I hope you are enjoying your monthly “tour” of my whimsies.
Please encourage your friends and family to subscribe at: justaboutanything.life
Please encourage Mona at: encouragemona@gmail.com
Download a pdf version of Just About Anything September 2022
Leave a Reply