High Brass and Wrought Iron Spider Trivet

The trivet pictured here belonged to Bishop Philander Chase, first rector of St. John Episcopal Church of Worthington. Trivets were useful pieces of cookware during the pioneer period, as most people cooked in a fireplace. An iron pot would be placed on the trivet over the coals in the fireplace, letting the food cook slowly over an extended period of time. Open fireplace cooking required skill and experience, and could also be dangerous to the cook and to children. The trivet pictured here is displayed in the dining room of the Orange Johnson House museum.