Do you know a Taste Vin? Ancient Greeks used already its forerunner for wine tasting as a glazed clay krater or wine cup. In medieval times they got made of faience, ceramic and pewter. In Louisiana, USA they briefly served another function as taste-indigo for testing the crystallization of indigo dye.
Shown here is our French Pewter Taste Vin with a a Royal Selangor pewter vase.
Royal Selangor is established in 1885 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Our lovely daughter Anita inside metal frame...
This French Pewter Taste Vin from ETAINS DU MANOIR was a gift from our French colleagues.
Inside you read the French Wine Quote: Beuvez toujours ne mourrez jamais...
Beuvez toujours, vous ne mourrez jamais. Loosely: Drink always and never die. Also: Drink constantly; never die. Widely attributed to François Rabelais.
Meanwhile I am the lucky owner of the hardcover book: The Epicurean Collector: Exploring the World of Culinary Antiques by Patrick Dunne from Luculluss Antiques in New Orleans, who did write this book together with the Editors of Southern Accents. The photo below is on page 109. Available at Amazon.
Patrick Dunne does explain a lot better than I ever can but he is writing about some pure silver Taste Vins...
These are Patrick Dunne's silver Taste Vins...
There is one thing in common with our French Pewter Taste Vin however; the coiled serpent loop handle is similar to ours! You can read more about that in the last copy of Patrick Dunne's pages.
His book is a very valuable piece of information for serious collectors.
Sadly the beautiful magazine of Southern Accents is no more but this book is as close as you can come to that!
Above is the mention of the use for taste-indigo in Louisiana.
One of the enigmatic motifs that frequently appear on taste-vins is a loop handle formed by a coiled serpent...
Hope you enjoyed this Taste Vin post. Do you have one at your home?
another item i've never been familiar with. i LOVE the vase, though. :)
ReplyDeleteDearest Theresa,
DeleteBefore we received this one as a gift, I never had seen any.
The vase from Royal Selangor pewter is very sleek and elegant.
Hugs,
Mariette
I have a pewter bud vase the same make . It hasn't got the handle.
ReplyDeleteLovely things.
Dearest Kay,
DeleteYou might have gotten a Royal Selangor pewter vase as well!
Hugs,
Mariette
Liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeleteich bin begeistert.
Sonnige Sonntagsgrüße
Elisabeth
Liebe Elisabeth,
DeleteJa danke, es gibt soviele schöne Dinge aus verschiedene Länder.
Ja danke für die sonnige Sonntagsgrüsse; es war ein schooner Tag!
Liebe Grüsse,
Mariette
Hello Mariette, These taste-vins look a lot like small porringers, and I imagine that at some point are hard to distinguish. I am looking forward to getting ahold of that book; it seems to feature the fancier kind of antiques. When you think of it, it is impossible to collect antiques in general and not have many of culinary origin.
ReplyDeleteDearest Jim,
DeleteYou are right about the shape of porringers looking alike but not the coiled serpent on the handle! That is very unique for the French taste-vins.
They are a very interesting cultural piece with quite some history.
Hugs,
Mariette
That information was interesting Mariette. I would never have guessed what one of those would have been used for. Isn't that collection beautiful.
ReplyDeleteDearest Jeanette Ann,
DeleteIt would have been a great item for a quiz I guess! The coiled serpent on the handle makes it quite interesting for a taste-vin.
Hugs to you,
Mariette
Dearest Mariette;
ReplyDeleteI've never familiar with this item nor known the words "Pewter, Vin" p;) Your explanation "Ancient Greeks used already its forerunner for wine tasting" helped me a lot. So surprising that I learn a lot of things here, my friend. Always thinking about you♡♡♡
Sending you Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my dear friend in America, xoxo Miyako*
Dearest Miyako,
DeleteDon't know if pewter has been a popular metal being used for culinary pieces in Japan... Vin is the French word for wine; wine tasting pieces.
The coiled serpent for sure does have an age old story to tell.
Sending you love and hugs too.
Mariette
Dearest Mariette,
ReplyDeleteWine testing as a glaged clay wine cop in medieval time they got made of faience another function as taste. The hard cover book has been passed down and treasured by more than one generation.
Hugs and love to you!
Michiko
Dearest Michiko,
DeleteIndeed this is an age old method for wine tasting and this piece is shaped identical but from pewter with a coiled serpent as a handle.
Sending you love and hugs,
Mariette
Dear Mariette,this is a lovely collection!The vase is very elegant!Great art indeed!!
ReplyDeleteWish you a happy new week!!A BIG HUG!!
Dimi...
Dearest Dimi,
DeleteThank you and yes, the Royal Selangor pewter vase is a very elegant one.
Hugs and wishing you a likewise happy new week.
Mariette
Lieve Mariette,
ReplyDeletePrachtig boek met veel informatie en mooie foto's.
Ik ken het wijnproefschaaltje wel maar heb er zelf geen.
Het was een perfecte methode om bij beperkt licht(kaarslicht) in de wijnkelder de helderheid van de gerijpte wijn te beoordelen dankzij reflectie van het licht op de blinkende (zilveren) wand.De geribde kant is voor witte wijn,de kant met de ronde uitstulpingen voor de rode wijn te keuren.
De vorm doet mij ook een beetje denken aan het zilveren Hollandse brandewijnkommetje,maar dat had in vroeger tijden weer heel andere functie.
En zo kom ik van het een bij het ander terecht,heb al vele jaren een zilveren schaaltje tussen een aantal andere dierbare objecten onder grote glazen stolp staan,het model(gelobd)van brandewijnkommetje,ging vanmiddag eens Google op de merktekentjes die er onder staan,Sanborns Sterling Silver Mexico,3 uiltjes etc. en was zo 'n paar uur verder in de middag;-),kom ik zo'n schaaltje met dezelfde merkjes ook nog eens op internetsite van eBay tegen......moest paar keer met de ogen knipperen toen ik de prijs zag staan,maar voor mij is de emotionele waarde vele malen meer waard omdat het uit de familie komt.
Lieve groet en fijne avond!!
Ger
Lieve Ger,
DeleteJa, zoiets is altijd interessant om uit te vinden hoe zoiets ontstaan is en voor wat en hoe het gebruikt werd destijds. Jou research via Google heeft wel wat opgeleverd om wat meer te weten te komen over je zilveren brandewijnkommetje uit Mexico. Inderdaad wint emotionele waarde het altijd van monetaire waarde!
Liefs en een hele fijne nieuwe week.
Mariette
Liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeletewieder ein aufschlußreicher, interessanter Post.
Die Vase gefällt mir sehr gut. Deine Sammlung
ist mehr als imposant.
Einen schönen Abend wünscht dir
Irmi
Liebe Irmi,
DeleteDanke und die Vase gefiel uns auch sofort sehr gut!
Eine schöne neue Woche und liebe Grüsse,
Mariette
˚°
ReplyDeleteUma jarra muito bonita.
Boa semana, cheia de saúde e muita alegria!
。˛¸♪♡
Beijinhos.
¸♯♡♡♪♪
Dearest Inês,
DeleteThank you and wishing you a happy new week ahead.
Hugs,
Mariette
I've never come across taste vin before and certainly did not know its background! This is very lovely vin you have! And I admire your vase. It reminds me of a bird....which I can't think of the name, but tall and elegant one.
ReplyDeleteDearest Tamago,
DeleteAs long as we live we learn and by receiving such interesting gifts from our French colleagues we learned about it too.
Oh, that vase is a fond memory of Singapore where we bought it from Royal Selangor and a second one like that for my sister Diny. It is very elegantly shaped.
Hugs to you,
Mariette
I have never heard of a Taste Vin until now
ReplyDeleteDearest Jo-Anne,
DeleteOh, we are constantly learning from each other. Since we're not in the wine-tasting business; how could we know about this?
Wishing you a happy new week and sending you hugs.
Mariette
Oh my gosh, I just read about the tornado. How scary. But glad your home and kitties are okay.
ReplyDeleteI hope speedy recovery for people affected by the tornado.
Dearest Tamago,
DeleteOh one never knows what Mother Nature is up to and we really hope and pray indeed that people affected by it can overcome this. There were luckily hardly any injuries because of the time at 8:30 AM.
Hugs,
Mariette
Interessante post, kende zo'n kan niet om te schenken en het kommetje ook niet. Leuk geheel.
ReplyDeleteBeste Marianne,
DeleteHet is gewoon een elegant vaasje hoor en geen schenkkan. Het kommetje om wijn te proeven heeft inderdaad een heel interessant verleden. Ja, ze passen best bij elkaar.
Liefs,
Mariette
I have seen these in antique shops, but have never known what they were for - now I know! How interesting and of course, how perfect these are if you have a winery! There are so many unusual implements and serving pieces that I am learning about from your beautiful blog, Mariette! Thank you for sharing. Hoping you are safe and cozy throughout your unsettled weather there. So Scary!
ReplyDeleteHugs xo Karen
Dearest Karen,
DeleteThank you for your kind words, indeed we learn as we go. Receiving such a very special gift does make one thirsty for some more background on the piece. This book is really the best I've ever found.
Hugs to you and let's pray to the victims of those 56 damaged homes in our immediate neighborhood.
Mariette