Beautiful Greggio, Padova Italy, Sterling Silver NOT An Ashtray, Thrift Shop Find~! | ||
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Posted 9 years ago
Efesgirl
(1017 items)
Silversmith is Rino Greggio.
http://www.greggio.com/en
I have been told that this item is for wine tasting! I never would have thought that but am grateful to those below who set me right. I have never seen one before!
Almost 3" in diameter, 3/4 inch high.
This one is a nice, solid weight.
$3.50
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Sometimes one gets lucky! Good for you!
Incredible! How did you get it to shine up so beautifully, Bonnie? It looks like a million bucks. :)
katherine - I have silver polish I bought in Germany called "Poliboy Silber Intensiv Pflege." (Intensive Silver Care). Great stuff!
Great find! I once had one like this around, when I was a kid. It was "acquired" by an aunt that went on a cruise. It had a medal in the central circle, with a ship and the company name on it, which I obviously can't remember.
Your item is not an ashtray , it is a wine tastevin ; used for wine tasting . The ring on the side with the lip above is for holding it , some have chains attached to wear around neck . Nice find , made of silver most likely .
LovelyPat got it :-))
http://www.gersaint.com/lots/tastevin-en-argent-478
OH well that makes much more sense than an ashtray! I thought that because of the bit that looks like a cigarette rest - the same as what I have had on crystal ashtrays with silver rims. Yes, it is absolutely silver - solid sterling silver. Thanks for the info!
I recently let one go that I had for a several years , was from 1948 , sterling (french minerva mark) and the patina on it made it look gray (left it , not polished ) , most collectors prefer it that way . But I had no idea what is was until my husband took me to a local winery for tasting , a gentleman was wearing his there ! A lightbulb went off in my head , I came home did some research on wine accessories and the mystery was solved . Efesgirl , I thought the same as you , the little lip just took my mind there , it made since to me as a smoker .
LovelyPat - that's interesting! The patina on this one was blotchy and didn't look at all nice. Looked like copper/base metal, which explains the rock bottom price. I have a letter opener from 1845 with a silver top (see that here, too) that I am not going to clean up. It has more than 160 years of "grubby" on it! :-)
Oh, way more than the ashtray, I love, love your new user ID photo!!! Perfect pic.
I just read lovelypat's comment that this isn't an ashtray! That makes much more sense that it's not an ashtray but still don't quite get the wine tasting deal.
Stunning piece of silver!! Love it !
You know you'll have to try it now you've bought it ;-)
shareurpassion - thanks! that ID photo pretty much sums me up (she's blonde, too!). Dopey me thought it was an ashtray when I saw it in the shop, and continued to think that until I was put right. The purpose of this cup:
http://www.tastevin-bourgogne.com/en/index.php?page=61
"The tastevin is the old tasting-cup used by tasters and wine-producers. According to a custom going back to the 15th or 16th century, it is given as a christening present, for it is a tool rather than an "objet d'art" and people of Burgundy keep it in their pocket.
An essential utensil for winegrowers and wine tasters, the tâtevin (tâter = to taste) is the time-hallmark wine tasting cup. This cup, in solid silver or silver-plated, has a raised design so that the appearance and colour of the wines, especially the reds, can be appreciated. The concavities bring out the ruby-red reflections. Sometimes, the cups have ripples and flutings, in which case the reflections take on a deeper hue.
The Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin has its own spelling of the word "tastevin". This conveys some local colour and at the same time established precedence; for this word, which is peculiar to the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin is officially registered and can thus be protected as necessary in France and throughout the world.
"Tastevin", "Tastevinage", "Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin" are in no sense common words. Moreover, the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin is in the Larousse Dictionary, which gives its aim: " To magnify wine at its noblest ".
Finally, never use a tâtevin as an ashtray!" <-----------HAHAHAHAHA!!!!
surf - I must buy a wine which is good enough to be poured into a solid silver tasting cup!