Message sent to me by my secret santa:

"So, You are probably wondering why I got you a set of random salt and pepper shakers. And odds are, if you don't have a geiger counter nearby, those things look perfectly boring.

Fact is though, Those shakers were made by Fiestaware before 1950. Also, they are coated in the Brilliant Red glaze which has become highly collectable. Why you might ask? Before 1944, Fiestaware used Uranium Oxide to achieve the bright red color in their brilliant red glaze. They needed to even discontinue the color in 1944 because the government took control of their Uranium Oxide in order to make the atomic bomb.

In 1959, Fiesta reintroduced the color using Depleted Uranium. While still radioactive, it is on a much lower scale than the pre 1944 ceramics. Unless I was being lied to by the company I bought these from, You have pre-1944 ceramics.

Don't worry though. It is very low dose radiation, and getting one x ray this year would greatly out shine the radiation you would get from these shakers. Even use them for salt and pepper if you'd like, Just makes sure to keep any chips from the glaze out of your food. Alpha radiation is only really dangerous if its ingested."

Very interesting. These things are more vintage than my mom.

Thank you so much, ConsciousMisspelling.