Cheese Tasters are listed in MARPLES Catalogues as early as 1862 but it is not until 1888 that I can find a description to match the Cheese Taster that I have here. The description in the text and next to the line drawing are of the same object but are different! With the text is shown: ‘Best Bright Cast Steel Cheese Tasters, 5 inches, with Rosewood Tipped Handles’. Whereas next to the image it says: ‘Improved Cheese Taster with Rosewood handle’.
The 1897 Cat. shows these:
In 1909 the item number has changed from 2079 to 6874:
Cheese tasters were not listed in 1921 but re-appear in 1928:
And are shown for the last time in the 1938 Catalogue:
Another Cheese Taster is again seen in the 1862 Cat. where it is not numbered, but described as ‘Bright Key Bow Cheese Taster . 3 lengths are listed…4″; 4.1/2″ and 5″. This is continued through to 1909 where lengths available are changed to 5.1/2″; 6″ and 6.1/2″. Item numbers are also changed resting at #6872 in 1909 and onwards. But in 1928 lengths are again and henceforth changed down to 3″; 4″ and 5″. The last Cat. to show this Taster as being available is 1938. The picture of this Taster does not vary between catalogues, so I must assume that my example below must be a later issue:
