Stirrup cup in sterling silver ( "curlew" with crab )

This curlew is one of twelve silver “stirrup” glasses. (The price refers to this single glass.) The models date back to around the mid-1900s and represent twelve different animals that can be placed on the table to serve wine.

I personally created the model of this glass, which was particularly complicated. When turned upside down to hold the wine, the beak alone was not enough to maintain balance. I therefore had to insert a small crab into the curlew’s beak — and now it is perfectly stable! :-)

Stirrup cups were most popular during the late 18th and 19th centuries. They are a type of drinking vessel traditionally presented to riders on horseback before departing for, or upon returning from, a hunt — while their feet remained in the stirrups.

This custom was especially common in England, though Scottish hosts also offered a “parting cup” to guests arriving on horseback. In Scotland, this drink was known as “dochan doruis,” which literally means “drink of the door,” and it was often served in a stirrup cup.

Specifically designed to be comfortably held in the hand and made without a base, their small capacity allowed the drink to be consumed quickly. Occasionally, they were placed on specially crafted trays designed to accommodate their unique shapes.

The beverage served in stirrup cups was typically wine or a spirit-based punch flavored with various spices. Early stirrup cups were essentially wine glasses; however, as their popularity increased, silversmiths began crafting them in shapes associated with the hunt, such as hounds or fox heads.

The rim of a stirrup cup was often engraved with a motto or inscription commemorating the hunt or the occasion.