Salt and pepper shakers

Salt and pepper shakers can be made from a variety of materials, including plastic, glass, metal, and ceramic.

[4][5] The Great Depression of the 1930s boosted the popularity of salt and pepper shakers as global ceramics producers concentrated on inexpensive items.

[5] Except in the most casual dining establishments, they are usually provided as a matched set, sometimes distinguishable only by the number of holes on the top of the shaker.

Designs range from small, plain glass screw cap containers (invented by John Landis Mason, inventor of the Mason jar) to more ornate works of art.

As a result of this diversity of design, collecting salt and pepper shakers is a hobby.