nutmeg rasp

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Allison Skewes asked

How many cm thick and wide is the wood? Is the back solid or is there a gap for the nutmeg to fall through? How long is the brass rasp? I think it would be rather fun to try to make a reproduction based on this item!
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

Hi Allison, it's a 16th-century Dutch nutmeggrater, made from wood and perforated copper plate.There's a little hole in the top part of the wood, probably to hang the grater on. The length of the wood is 10,3 cm, we don't have the width in our records, my estimate would be c. 3,5-4 cm. There's no hole in the middle of wood, because the grated nutmeg could just exit at the open ended short end. If you indeed make a reproduction of it, we would of course love to see a picture of the end result! Best, Alexandra PS. Check this print of Pieter van der Heyden (after Pieter Bruegel); you'll find a giant grater in the left bottom corner: http://collectie.boijmans.nl/nl/object/64153/De-vette-keuken/Pieter-van-der-Heyden

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Title	nutmeg rasp
Material and technique	Wood, brass
Object type	Nutmeg rasp > Grater > Cooking utensils > Kitchen and household > Utensil
Location	This object is in storage

Dimensions	Height 2.2 cm Width 10.1 cm Depth 3.8 cm
Artists	Koperslager: Anoniem
Accession number	F 8567 (KN&V)
Credits	Schenking / Donation: Coll. Van Beuningen-de Vriese 1990
Department	Applied Arts & Design
Acquisition date	1991
Age artist	Unknown
Collector	Collector / Van Beuningen-de Vriese
Research	Alma
Material	Brass > Copper > Common metal > Metal > Inorganic material > Material > Material and technique Wood > Vegetable material > Organic material > Material > Material and technique
Object	Nutmeg rasp > Grater > Cooking utensils > Kitchen and household > Utensil
Geographical origin	The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe