Absinthe glasses come in many shapes and sizes and of various weights and qualities, after all absinthe was drunk in all establishments from the corner bar to the most exclusive clubs. Absinthe was served diluted with around 5 parts of water, so the glass had to be large enough to hold at least six fluid ounces of liquid. Most glasses had some kind of mark for measuring the 'dose' of absinthe - this was usually an etched line around the bottom of the glass, or an actual reservoir blown into the base of the glass. The only glasses that were made solely for absinthe drinking were the rare and beautiful reservoir glasses and the 'Pontarlier' glasses..
Absinthe spoons were an essential part of the absinthe ritual, which arose because absinthe is unsweetened and many drinkers had a sweet tooth! Since the sugar needed to sweeten it would not dissolve in the 65% to 72% alcohol some method was necessary to get the sugar into the drink which is where the spoons came into the picture. The spoons were made in a wide variety of shapes and materials such as tin, nickel and silver (solid and plated), depending on the type of establishment were they were to be used. Sometimes the spoons bore the name or imprint of the manufacturer such as Gombalt or Christofle and occasionally the name of a brand of absinthe or the bar where they were used. Some of the designs are quite common, whilst others are very rare indeed - and this is reflected in the prices.
Saucers were an essential item in the serving of absinthe. They were placed under the absinthe glass to catch the drips as people added water to their drink. The price of the drink was usually marked on the saucer. Saucers are typically 5 " in diameter.
Topettes were used to measure out the absinthe. They came in various sizes with the number of shots of absinthe being indicated by the number of rings. Carafes and water jugs were a very common café accessory. They usually bore the name of the drinks manufacturer.
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Reference list for absinthe antiques
