Silver Drinking Cups

It is a pity that glass breaks so easily but of course we have silver - the age old drinking cup material. We started to drink champagne during early grouse days 30 years ago and the best cups I could come up with were 50s coloured aluminium ones - these were fine but the red ones made decent champagne look strange; when partridge shooting became increasingly popular then I had to find something better. The answer, as usual was to make them myself. Many times I had enjoyed the liquid hospitality of a friend who owned a magnificent set of solid silver cups which were elegant and an excellent size - so I copied them.

The result are sets of both silver plated and solid fluted champagne cups which are now the best sellers of all the nine different cups that we now offer.

1. THE SLOE GIN CUP

These have always been a favourite and I can report that my own 20 year old set is still going strong - slightly scuffed yes, but after possibily 1000 outings the silver plating is still in excellent condition. I still use the same Birmingham makers to make these ( and others in the range ) using the best heavy weight materials and thick silver plating, the insides are gold plated ( gilded ).

These cups are 6cms high, 5.5cms across the rim and 4cms at the base - they have a capacity of 75ccs and they are nice and wide at the base so they sit on a Landrover bonnet without tipping over.

2. LARGE SLOE GIN CUPS.

These silver plated cups hold 100 ccs and are of a different shape to those above. They are a copy of a set of cups from an Edwardian picnic set that I bought on the Portabello Road some time ago, they have been faithfully reproduced by my spinners in Birmingham. These cups are 8cms high and 6cms across the top - they have a distinct rim, again made from heavyweight material.They are gilded.

3. VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE CUPS.

This is the latest addition to my range of cups. I am aware that there are those amongst us who are concerned about shooting and drinking; and this cup is for those who enjoy a drink but are concerned about quantity - it is effectively a smaller champagne cup. Weighing 120 grms, it measures 7.5cms in diameter across the fluted top, it stands 7.5cms high and holds 180ccs nearly full.

In my meanderings through Birmighams jewellery quarter I found a very small firm that could make these cups with a milled band around the body - so I have given them the order. I think you can see from the photo that this band sets them off nicely and I am pleased with it. This cup is plain polished ( not gilded ).

4. FLUTED CHAMPAGNE CUPS.

These are now my best selling cup, when full they hold 225 ccs so 60 % full about 120cc - I have measured a normal "house " glass of champagne at 100ccs so I think this 225cc cup is about right for all but the most enthusiastic ( for you please read on ) . These cups are 8cms high and 7.5cms across the fluted top; again silver plated and gilded they are made from heavy weight material ( they weigh 150grms ) and a set is most impressive in the hand. We sell a lot of these for special birthday presents and they always go down well.

5. BEADED CHAMPAGNE CUPS

These cups are a recent addition to our range and they are most impressive.Straight sided ( but conical ) they measure the same height ( 8 cms ) as the fluted version but they are slightly wider at the top - 8cms and with a wide base they have a capacity of 275 ccs. The best bit is that they have a 5mm rope bead at the bottom which really sets them off; they have a proper rim at the top similar to the Large Sloe Gins. These cups are not gilded, whilst gilding is very attractive it does interfere with the colour of the contents and this cup gives an option to those who simply prefer not to have gilding.

6. LARGE BEADED CHAMPAGNE CUPS

This silver plated cup is a larger version of the previous cup, at a capacity of 350 ccs for most it is probably is too large for champagne ( of course not for the enthusiast ) and it looks most impressive on the table . It stands a stately 9.5 cms tall and 8.5cms across the top. It has a nice rim, plain polished on the inside, it is innocent of guilding but the most magnificent of cups - I have sold them as water cups for an elegant shoot lunch room.

7.SOLID STERLING SILVER PORT CUPS

This solid silver cup is planished; that is hand beaten - showing the hammer marks over the entire body of the cup this makes the cups almost immune to everyday knocks and scratches picked up in the field. The cup is Hallmarked Edinburgh and holds 120ccs, it has a nice rim to help stacking and stands 6.7cms high with a 6cm diameter across the top. The planished effect is most pleasing but if you wish to engrave each cup with perhaps initials then we usually also stock the plain polished version which is suitable for this purpose.

Each port cup weighs about 60 grms and the bad news is that the price of silver is going up almost weekly so we reserve the right to move our prices in line with current silver price.

8.SOLID STERLING SILVER CHAMPAGNES

These cups are the big brother to the Ports above. They are straight sided, have a capacity of 225ccs and they are planished - hand beaten. They are hall marked in Edinburgh and stand 8cms high and 7.5 cms across the rim; they weigh in at an impressive 100grms each, they are the most popular solid silver cups that we sell. We usually have a set of non planished - plain polished cups for those who wish to engrave the cups. Again these cups are priced according to prevailing silver bullion prices so they may be subject to price variation.

To address this problem of cost we are offering our vintage champagne cups in a lighter gauge of Solid Britannia silver (.958 ). Making this cup out of a thinner gauge of silver and together with the slightly smaller size has allowed us to offer a beautiful set of solid silver champagne cups at a very attractive price. In appearance this BRITANNIA SILVER VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE CUP is very similar to its popular cousin the plated version ( item 3 ) but of course each one bears the Britannia Silver hall mark as well as the Birmingham Hallmark, Date mark and our own Hallmark.

This cup has a capacity of 175 ccs, it is 7.5 mms high and 7.5mm in diameter across the top, gilded on the inside, each cup weighs in at 80 grms of solid Britannia silver - this weight is the crucial part as the reduction in silverweight allows us to offer these cups at a great price. The cup has the same milled band around the lower part of the body of the cup, to special order we can offer this same cup without the milled band.

Price :

cased set of 10 cups £1100 plus VAT
cased set of 12 cups £1300 plus VAT

10. BRITANNIA SILVER FLUTED CHAMPAGNES

These are our flagship cups, exactly the same design and shape as no.3 but made from the highest grade silver. Britannia silver has a purity .958 and looks better, weighs heavier and has its own Hallmark . You simply cant get better quality, at about 140 grms in weight these cups demonstrate that their owner has arrived! They are hall marked in Birmingham and we have chosen the largest marks that are feasible on a curved surface - each of the four marks is about 10mm square and they are struck a little higher than half way up the cup - very visible!!

Height 8 cms and 7.5cms across the fluted rim they have a capacity of 225ccs - they are magnificent. I dont usually gild the insides as I dont believe they can be improved upon and it is nice to see the true colour of the champagne, indeed the term gilding the lilly comes to mind . Often given as serious presents we can engrave the cups with crests, monograms, initials, shoot names etc this is not expensive as it is done by computer and just requires some art work by our ( or your ) graphic artist.

Numbering of cups.
Most of our cups are numbered at the bottom on the inside. The numbers 6 and 9 are underlined to avoid the obvious. Sets of 10 are numbered accordingly. Sets of 12 usually have 1 to 10 in numbers and two cups with no numbers - but if 11 and 12 are important then please ask. Sets of six or eight are usually not numbered but again if this is important then this can be done but it takes a little longer.

Cases.
All of our cups come with a handstitched case. We are rather proud of these as no one else makes such a case. Years ago I realised that the usual Jewellers type case was made to a price and just didnt stand up to use. The problem is that the cups are used in the field! This means that the dregs are left in the cups and these seep out onto the inside of the case during the rest of the day and by 6 o'clock ( surely not the next day ) it is impossible to wash off. The sloe gin has now penetrated the leather and the rot literally sets in - result a disintegrating and horrible case that marks the plating on the cups.