Artifact ID: Nubian saltshakers

We’re talking about these thingies:

These items have always stuck out to me as a prime example of the prop shop guys grabbing whatever was on the shelves at the time and using them as background details (Episode I is full of this). I think it’s kind of cool, from my 18-years removed perspective, how the clean lines of late ‘90s tech were easily appropriated for Naboo-ian tech.


Now, I don’t think these devices have ever been identified in-universe (hence this post’s facetious title) although I could be wrong…there was a lot of Episode I-centric material out at the time, and they may have since been explained as ionic transmission sequencers or some such.

Anyway, identifying these was very easy, since I have clear memories of playing with these in the classroom about 18 months before Episode I’s release, so it was especially exciting when I learned what their actual, intended use is. As it turns out, the C4652-60018 is not just a neat box to keep your Hewlett-Packard 6xx inkjet cartridges in, it is technically an ink cartridge humidor! How cool is that?

I would love to hear from any other former school-age Young People…did you recognize these immediately, too?

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