An exquisite crystal glass with a cup holder made of brass, silver, and cupronickel is once again becoming a luxury item. The tea will stay hot in it, but it won't burn your hands. For the older generation, it's a piece of a bygone era.
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History of the origin of cup holders
It is not known for certain who first came up with the idea of putting a glass for hot drinks in a convenient metal frame. The author of the invention is unknown.
Mass production of inexpensive faceted glasses began in 1820. They quickly became competitors to porcelain tea sets. Perhaps tavern attendants, in order not to burn their hands, came up with the first glass holders made of two rims with a handle and a stand for stability.
Jewelers seized on the idea. Gift items were made of silver and inlaid with gold. A household accessory turned into a luxury item. A set of glass holders was in every merchant's house.
It is believed that thanks to Sergei Yulievich Witte, the Minister of Finance of Tsarist Russia, tea accessories appeared on trains. During the reign of Nicholas II, he was in charge of the Department of Railways. Mass production began, coasters for glasses were produced by 15 factories. They were made of chromed steel, aluminum, cupronickel, silver.
Today, cup holders made of precious metals are again becoming a sign of status. They can be seen in the "high offices" of officials, in the homes of successful businessmen.
What are cup holders for?
Initially, the tea accessory was designed as a hot stand.
The ring platform holding the glass is raised by a centimeter. The upper rim was needed to hold the lower structure. The side handle-bracket helped the tavern attendants to simultaneously carry 5-6 glasses in each hand to the guests. In essence, a glass holder is a structure that transforms any glass into a convenient mug.
Advantages of glasses with cup holders
During the use of the accessory, it became clear that it has many advantages:
- it gives stability to the glass tea cup;
- perfectly dissipates heat from the walls of the dishes, the glass does not crack from hot water;
- does not burn hands, the handle of the cup holder remains cool;
- the cup holder is larger in diameter than the glass, it prevents the water from cooling down quickly, creating a layer of warm air;
- the glass heats up evenly, there is no internal stress created by hot tea, and the dishes last longer.
The glass holder is also a decoration, a work of art. This tea accessory is considered the main element of the original Russian tea drinking, a symbol of Russian Railways, an attribute of the USSR era.
Tea Cup Holder Materials
Today, coasters are produced according to exclusive sketches, and only a few companies do this. They use plastic metals.
Brass
The copper-zinc alloy has a golden hue. It does not fade over time, polishes well, and is excellent for processing. Cup holders with an intricate stamped pattern and recesses that create an interlacing effect are made of brass. The metal has good thermal conductivity and does not heat up.
Copper
At all times it was valued for its resistance to corrosion and malleability. Jewelers loved copper for its noble bluish patina that formed over the years. Thanks to it, the design applied to the cup holder looked more voluminous and relief.
Silver
An alloy with 585-carat copper was always used for the accessory. This metal is used to make:
- jewelry;
- dishes;
- cigarette cases;
- lighters;
- flasks;
- other attributes for real men.
The metal is well inlaid, decorated with enamel inserts, and blackened. It is believed that pathogenic bacteria die on the silver surface.
Melchior
Another copper-based alloy used to make cutlery, trays, coffee pots, and other kitchen utensils. It is easy to clean, has a decent golden hue, and is easy to process.
Nickel plated steel with gold plating
Steel products are lightweight. The metal plate that covers the glass is made of thin stainless rolled steel alloyed with nickel and chromium. After stamping, the steel is nickel-plated, then gilded.
How to choose a quality cup holder
When buying an accessory for tea drinking, first of all, they look at functionality. Any glass can crack over time, break during washing, transportation. The cup holder should be universal so that you can insert another glass into it. When it dangles a lot, constantly shifts, using the cup holder is inconvenient and unsafe.
The diameter of the stands varies from 55 to 62 mm. Faceted crystal glasses are usually made of approximately the same diameter. The accessory from the time of Nicholas II has a diameter of 70 cm.
There is an opinion that you can't drink tea from crystal. This is not true. Modern annealing methods allow you to get strong, durable dishes for hot drinks: tea, coffee, mulled wine.
A crystal glass made by pressing is massive and has a deep pattern. Blown glass is lighter and thin-walled. The glassware is checked for integrity by ringing; if there are cracks, the sound becomes dull.
Coasters are coming back into our lives, taking us back to a bygone era. It is convenient when sets with glasses are immediately packed in a case, and come with a spoon. Such an elegant, practical souvenir will be a great gift for a business partner, a beloved man, a boss.
