French Tastevin with Chain

A historic tool used in wine making and wine tasting, the tastevin is a small, silver cup or saucer. The flat cup has traditionally been used to assess the color, clarity, and maturity of wine. Have you ever wondered why the sommelier in a fancy restaurant often wears what appears to be a silver ashtray around his neck? It’s actually quite a historic item. Two hundred years or more ago, cellarmasters in Burgundy in France (where a very high-level wine society is called the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin) developed this cup to sample wine down in the cellar where it was dark, lit only by candles. The angular nooks and crannies in the shiny silver cup are designed to catch and reflect the light to make it easier to check the color and clarity of the wine.
This particular Tastevin I have for sale still has its original chain on it. Size: 10 x 7.5 x h 2cm. Weight 170 grms. What a lovely and unique gift from France! Postage included.