Antique Victorian Plate Crumber

• Sheffield, circa 1885
• Dimensions: 14 inches in length

You are at home or in a restaurant and you cut into a roll. You then notice that there are crumbs on the tablecloth or table and they need to be brushed away. Did you know that this ritual used to be part of American dining during the Victorian Era?

Originating in Europe for the royalty and the aristocracy, crumbers were used to sweep and remove crumbs during the meal. Crumbers did not become widely used in America until the Victorian Era when dining became quite structured with rituals. Americans also believed it was important to behave in a particular manner to emulate the aristocracy. Therefore no proper meal would be served without the crumbs being cleared away after every course.

While crumbers are not widely used anymore ( and I do not anticipate they ever will) you can occasionally find them in some restaurants or as a collector’s item in someone’s home. This is a lovely Antique Victorian Silver Plated Crumber having a floral design on the blade. The ivory handle on this crumber is in wonderful condition which really makes this piece quite special. Even though we may never go back to using crumbers like the old days, it is always nice to reflect back in time and see how our predecessors lived and entertained.