A substantial, beautifully illustrated guide to the history of nutmeg
and its useProfusely illustrated with pictures of decorative antique
graters, pomanders and spice containersOffers a detailed account of
nutmeg in the Spice Islands, the Caribbean, and the WestA vital
reference work for collectors, antique dealers and auctioneersOnce,
nutmeg was worth its weight in gold. For much of human history, the tiny
Banda Islands in Indonesia were the only source of this esteemed spice.
From the age of the Silk Roads through to the mid-19th century partial
shift of production to the Caribbean, covering battles between the
Honourable East India Company and the Dutch Verenigde Oostindische
Compagnie, this book traces the story of nutmeg, revealing its extensive
and often surprising influence over conflict, politics, social mores,
and Western society.Beautiful antique silver, gold, enamel, bone, ivory,
treen and Tunbridgeware graters and rasps demonstrate how much nutmeg
was valued throughout history. This book gathers pictures of some of the
finest examples world-wide, alongside mechanical and base metal graters
and spice containers. It illustrates, and provides useful informationon,
the history of pomanders which were associated with nutmeg, as this
spice was once thought to ward off pestilence and plague.Combining the
social history of nutmeg with explanations of the spice production and
transportation process, and illustrating in detail examples in
international nutmeg grater collections and museums, this book is the
essential reference work for collectors, antique dealers and
auctioneers.
