At the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 19th century, the fashion for… pocket graters for grating nutmeg to add it to wine or ale rapidly gained popularity among the English. More often, such tertushki were made of silver, decorated with patterns, mother-of-pearl, precious stones and monograms, and were considered indispensable attributes of a gentleman. And taking into account that nutmeg has always been a rather valuable spice, by “accidentally” taking out a grater and nutmeg from your pocket during dinner, you immediately acquired the status of a wealthy man in the city, a defender of moral values, and became a coveted prey for ladies (about the properties of nutmeg nut as an enhancer of sexual appetite was known since the 1st century BC).
Depending on the style and material, vintage nutmeg graters today can be found in private antique collections for upwards of $100,000.
