Cheers to an Old Favorite!

Animal head cups were a staple at Croghan's Jewel Box until the company that made them went out of business in the early 2000s.  Well, we have great NEWS!   After much searching, we have finally found an American Company to make them to our specifications.  They are back, and exclusively at Croghan's Jewel Box.  We call them toasting cups and love to engrave them with the special occasions in life that require a toast!

Godparents have been toting them to baptisms, confirmations and graduation, creating a lasting collection for their godson.  Clemson graduates had to have a Tiger Stirrup commemorating their years at the university, and what dog lover or hunter could resist a cup with the head of a Labrador retriever or a deer made out of pewter and engraved with their initials.  

These cups actually hearken back to the 1700s, and the proper name for them is stirrup cups.  A refreshing drink was often given to a rider before they headed out to the hunt on horseback.  Since the cup  has no stem, it is easy for a rider to hold while his feet are in the stirrups.

Throughout history, these cups have come in a wide range of designs, from simple ones made from glass, to painted porcelain ones with a hunt scene, to pewter or sterling cups featuring animal heads.  

Gucci made a series of them in the 1970's!  As a matter of fact an article written in Vanity Fair in 2012 titled "Christmas at Balmoral, Will and Kate Style?", a tray of stirrup cups appear on a bar all decorated for Christmas at the Castle.  

Stirrup cups even made a cameo appearance on Downtown Abbey, when Lady Mary and her guests returned from their hunt, they were offered refreshment in these special vessels by butlers, dressed in white ties and tails of course!

Croghan's loves a story! And the rich history and wonderful design of these cups provide just that.  Start a collection for someone you love and you will realize what a treasure they are.  As the collection grows, they become quite a conversation piece.  Think of the recipient passing them to their friends at a party, reminiscing about the dates that each may commemorate. "I got the tiger when I graduated from Clemson, the eagle when I became an eagle scout, the lab the day I got my first puppy....the stag on the day I shot my first buck.....the alligator because we see an alligator every time we play our favorite low country course".  

We say Cheers to that!!