French Sommeliers Cup or Tastevin with Coin

The center of this cup features an imitation “spade” Guinea. A Guinea was a British coin minted between 1663-1814. It contained .25 ounce of gold. The name was derived from the location the gold was obtained, the Guinea region in West Africa.

Imitation coins were made throughout the years and were used as advertisements or counter tokens for gambling.

The coin in the center of this cup hails from the late 19th century. On the left it reads 1648 in Roman numerals and the right it reads FR.EX.NAV.RET which translates to King of France and Navarre. In the center is the bust of Louis XIV.

The back shows the crown of France and the text reads  SIT. NOMEN. DOMINI. BENEDICTVM. 1648 which translates to blessed be in the name of the lord.

The coin is set into a tastevin.  This French word translates to “tasting cup.” It modern times it’s also called a sommelier’s cup named after those who use it.

But what is it? It’s a small and shallow cup that allows for a wine taster to pour a small sampling of wine to check for clarity, color and finally taste.

The history of the tastevin dates back to the 1700’s in Bourgoin, France. Originally it would have been used strictly by the winemaker who worked in dim candle lit wine cellar. The dimples in the cup serve an important purpose. They reflect light, allowing them to check the clarity and color of the sample. In effect they amplify light where lighting was often scarce.

Vintage and more modern versions typically have a small handle for holding that doubles as a hook to hang on a chain around the sommelier’s neck.

Decorating your home with vintage means you are choosing to decorate with history and charm. It’s also the most sustainable way to decorate. You are keeping old items out of the landfill and saving resources and human labor used in the manufacturing of new home decor. 

Each item in my boutique is hand picked by me. I take pride in building collections that are rich with color, history and charm. With Finches and Ferns, you can choose decor both intentionally and sustainably and build a home with decor that is as unique as you are!