I agree with KC on this. They would load the little salts from a master with a spoon. You could hold it in one hand and spoon the slay with the other when setting the table. Individual salts with tiny spoons were used right into the twentieth century even after the salt shaker became popular. Particular hostesses did not take well to shaking salt at the formal table and passing it around. I have seen a few and this sure looks like a master salt to me.