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Help confirm what I think it is
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Chatsworth9




Joined: 17 Feb 2010
Posts: 7
Location: Birmingham, AL USA
Posted: 04/03/2010 
Post subject: Help confirm what I think it is		 Reply with quote

As a new member I am enjoying reading all the posts and amazed at the expertise and places all over the world where collectors reside. I bought this piece on line and the only marking is on the underside of the loop handle. It says Sheffield, England. Please tell me what you think it is.

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ResizedSheff.jpg


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podge




Joined: 20 Apr 2010
Posts: 11
Posted: 08/05/2010 
Post subject: re: Help confirm what I think it is		 Reply with quote

It looks to me like a "sommelier" or wine taster
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silvermakersmarks
Moderator



Joined: 24 Jan 2008
Posts: 1099
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 08/05/2010 
Post subject: re: Help confirm what I think it is		 Reply with quote

I agree that it's probably a wine taster. I hope that podge will not mind me suggesting that the name should be tastevin - a sommelier is a wine waiter.
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silvertt




Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 61
Posted: 08/05/2010 
Post subject: re: Help confirm what I think it is		 Reply with quote

Hi, just to add some wider context. A sommelier is indeed a wine waiter by dictionary definition, however in a restaurant which has a sommelier he is one of the two 'technical' heads. The chef is food the sommelier is wine. He not only suggests/recommends wine to accompany each course to the customer, since he is familiar with the food being served, but also is responsible for provisioning and managing the wine for the restaurant even to the point of recommending investment in imprimatur. In short the sommelier is the wine supremo and his tastevin is an essential part of his equipment. Tastevins were made of silver beause silver neither adds to nor detracts from the wine.
I realise that this is not really directly relevant to the silver object in question but I consider that the use and history of the object is at least as interesting as the object itself.
Regards,
Tony
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