posted on December 10, 2008 10:48:08 AM
The glasses are Hawkes and are 2 3/4" tall and come out of the frames. The frames are sterling from Brand Chatillon. I can't image what they were used for - could it be mint juleps? And no I didn't clean the sterling part - I found them this way.
posted on December 16, 2008 08:06:41 AM
ladyjewels,
I just noticed your post... as an amateur mixologist... I've studied a wide variety of liquor, drinks, garnishes, and of course serving glasses. A serious bartender and patron would demand a metal serving cup. The drink is most commonly served in pewter or (even more likely) silver cups.
It makes total sense, since Muddled drinks are much easier to make in a metal glass (less chance of breaking) and this would have allowed service in the same glass that it was prepared in. Also gives a great effect with frost on the outside from chilled condensation....
Your glasses look much more like old-fashioned glasses to me.
******************************
posted on December 16, 2008 10:48:56 AM
I suspect these are not drinking vessels, but small vases, probably meant to hold cigarettes (when hostesses used to put them on the table at dinners).
posted on December 16, 2008 11:55:50 AM
hmmm... another theory... 2 3/4" tall seems a little small for an old-fashioned. (although it could be around 5 oz... which would coincide with some older glasses) However, I'm starting to bet that they're not glasses at all. Instead, I bet they're candle holders. Hawkes has made lots of candle holders in a variety of patterns, and they do use metal bases. It would make total sense to have the metal base to raise the hot glass off the surface. And makes sense to have the glass removable for easy cleaning. Plus, if you only have the two... it would make more sense to have a pair of candle-holders than just two drink glasses (which usually come in sets of 4 or more). Any wax residue on the pieces?
******************************
posted on December 16, 2008 03:05:30 PM
Thanks for the explanation for mint julep glasses - that makes sense. I wondered why they all seemed to be silver.
I was thinking maybe there were toothpick holders?
I was told they were 100 years old and I wouldn't think they would have used such delicate glass (it's very thin) for candle holders back then. But I'll do some more research and see what comes up.
Thanks
