The systematic production of silver graters for nutmeg, the most stylish of spices, began in the late seventeenth century. A revolution in manners then gripped colonial America, as sophisticated Britons on both sides of the Atlantic began serving punch, the tasty and potent brew of spirits, fruit juice, sugar, and water laced with spice, most often nutmeg. An elegant nutmeg grater quickly became an essential part of "the punch equipage", the key to genteelly preparing and serving this ubiquitous tipple.
The splendid collection of 100 exquisite examples of English and American nutmeg graters lovingly assembled over the course of forty years by the late Dr. Robert Green and his wife Meredith is on view at Colonial Williamsburg, the nation's largest living history museum, from May 31, 2002 to December 31, 2003. This charming catalogue features a stunning assortment of fashionable English graters from seventeenth century London and eighteenth and nineteenth century Birmingham, handsome twentieth century American graters designed by Gorham and Tiffany & Co., and more. Highlights include a circa-1680 grater in the shape of lute; graters made of mounted cowrie shells (1680-1720); and a commemorative grater with a braid of hair encased in a glass top.