Myrna Schkolne: Early Staffordshire Figures

"So what is a stirrup cup?. I hope you don't mind me asking you."

This question was posed to me by a lady as I sat sipping a drink in the little restaurant area of the New York Ceramics Fair. Stirrup cups were big at the fair this year. A handsome example adorned the cover of the fair catalog, and several dealers had lovely examples on display. This lady, who apparently pops into the fair each year and presumably buys on occasion, had looked at all the stirrup cups on display....and had been too intimidated to ask what purpose they served.

A stirrup cup is usually shaped in the form of the head of a hare, a fox, or a dog.
It was the "parting cup" given to departing guests, ready to leave with their feet in the stirrups. It was also the vehicle for serving a drink (usually sherry or port) served prior to a traditional foxhunt.

So there it is in a nutshell. But the lady bothered me. Why had she hesitated to ask one of the very knowledgable dealers ? The bunch at the fair are particularly friendly and enthusiastic about their stock. Perhaps she had been rebuffed in the past. So get over it. I have had my share of put-downs....and now I just love it when someone tries. I have all the pat answers ready.  Never hesitate to ask a question. It's the only way you will learn.

Another factoid that not everyone knows is the purpose of a spill holder, sometimes called a spill vase

Remember, these were the days before the invention of friction matches. So how did you light your candle? Well, you used a spill that was stored in a spill holder. A spill was a narrow roll of paper or strip of wood (rather like a chopstick). You set it alight from something that was already burning (another candle or the fireplace), and carried the flame over to whatever you needed to light next. When you were done, you might put your spill back in the spill holder, or toss it away. In any event, your supply of spills was always ready for use in one of the many spill holders you kept around the house.

While I am no Martha Stewart, I use my spill holders for more decorative purposes. I put fresh flowers in them. The flowers are placed in those little florists tubes that hold water. They can last for quite a few days...and they look so pretty when you entertain. Of course, if you want a place to store your chop sticks, you now know you should go out and buy a spill holder!