vintage or antique milk glass toothpick holder (also known as a master salt cellar). These items are collectible and were particularly popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Key Information
Material: It is made of milk glass, an opaque or translucent white glass that gets its milky appearance from additives like tin oxide or bone ash.
Design: The piece features a beaded rim and an embossed, ornate design with scrollwork or floral motifs around the base.
Function: While often identified as a toothpick holder, similar small, open pieces were sometimes used as "open" or "master" salt cellars.
Age Indication: Many 19th-century milk glass pieces feature intricate, pressed glass designs and some exhibit a characteristic "ring of fire" or subtle opalescence at the edges when held to the light, which can help determine their age.