Salt cellar

The salt cellar in the collection of the National Museum in Lublin, made of forged, cast silver in the form of a rectangular boat with two high handles, shaped from round wire, is an example of the goldsmith's workshop of the Lublin craftsman Józef Suchocki. The goldsmith was born in Warsaw around 1800 but ran his workshop in Lublin. He was entered in the register of citizens on 2/14 June 1839, although in his application for a consensus of 18/30 January 1852, he stated he had lived in Lublin for 15 years. He worked alone in his workshop, accepting apprentices for short periods. His products were marked in italics by Suchocki and in Lublin. Suchocki declared in his application that he had no intention of working and added: "for the sake of impoverishment, not being able to carry on my trade as a goldsmith on my own this year, I did not hurry with payment. I won't continue this business until December, as I have neither the funds nor the means to do so. And if I moved to a better state, I will not open a workshop without the Magistrate's knowledge". The craftsman left the city and returned to Warsaw but died in Lublin.