Haus Finds No. 005 – The Lemon Slice Holder Set

There was a time when even a lemon wedge had its own place at the table.
In the 1970s, my mother discovered these Ritter "Citro" lemon wedge squeezers in a department store in Germany and bought a dozen to bring home as gifts for family and friends.
Somewhere between Germany and home, life got busy.
Instead of being given away, these thoughtful gifts found their way to a top shelf, still wrapped in the original brown packaging.
When I recently opened the package, I found eight brand new Ritter "Citro" lemon wedge squeezers exactly as they had been purchased. Unused. Waiting.
Now discovered, I love the idea of seeing them thoughtfully placed at a dinner table setting—where you can party like it's 1970.
Whether it's a summer seafood dinner, sparkling water on the porch, iced tea with friends, or a long evening gathered around the table, they're the kind of detail people don't expect anymore—and the kind they remember.
Or perhaps you'll continue my mother's original idea and share them as hostess gifts with people who appreciate unique, well-made objects meant to be used.
They're not remarkable because they're elaborate.
They're remarkable because they remind us that gathering around a table was once considered an occasion worth preparing for.
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THE FIND
Made in West Germany by Ritter, the Citro lemon wedge squeezer was designed to bring fresh citrus directly to each place setting. Rather than squeezing an entire lemon into a dish, guests could press a single wedge over seafood, vegetables, tea, sparkling water, or cocktails with a simple squeeze.
Produced during the 1960s and 1970s, these clever little tools reflected an era when entertaining celebrated thoughtful details. They were practical, beautifully engineered, and made to be used again and again around a well-set table.
Finding eight unused examples—each still sealed in its original clear plastic case—is increasingly uncommon. Together they make a wonderful set for entertaining, collecting, or sharing as individual hostess gifts, just as they were originally intended more than 50 years ago.
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THE DETAILS
• Vintage Ritter "Citro" lemon wedge squeezers
• Stainless steel construction
• Original clear plastic presentation cases
• Made in West Germany • 1970s
• Quantity: 8 individual squeezers
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CONDITION
New old stock.
Each lemon wedge squeezer remains unused in its original clear plastic case after approximately 50 years of careful storage. The plastic cases may show light shelf wear consistent with age and long-term storage. The squeezers themselves remain unused and beautifully preserved.
Ready for another generation of dinner parties. Available in the Haus.