Quotes on Collecting

Anything in a way beautiful derives its beauty from itself and asks nothing beyond itself.

Marcus Aurelius

New at the MIA and sort of a follow up to Rich's report on sulphides --members may want to check this new acquistion.

England, Falcon Glassworks of Apsley Pellatt,
 1791-1890, Cologne bottle, 1825-35, blown and cut glass with encased  sulphide.

 www.artsmia.org 

 Gift of the Decorative Arts Council

Viking Age Silver Drinking Bowl

from Lilla Valla, Sweden

The oldest mode of serving beer was to offer it in a large bowl, often a brass cauldron in which the beer had been heated, or a bucket, from which everyone served themselves by means of small bird-shaped dippers called Öl-gass or "ale-geese." In Lokásenná we are given a description of such a beer-cauldron in the god Aegir's hall. Later Scandinavians drew their beer from the vat into tapskalar or "tap-bowls," which were like pitchers, provided with a short pouring spout or lip. Tapskalar were then emptied into pitchers or large tankards, which were set upon the tables and used to serve beer into individual drinking vessels.

 The drinking of ale was particularly important to several seasonal religious festivals, of which the Viking Scandinavians celebrated three: the first occurring after harvest, the second near midwinter, and the last at midsummer. These festivals continued to be celebrated after the introduction of Christianity, although under new names. Historical records show that ale consumption at these festivals, even in Christian times, was quite important: the Gulaþing Law required farmers in groups of at least three to brew ale to be consumed at obligatory ale-feasts on All Saints (November 1 - Winternights), Christmas (December 25 - Yule), and upon the feast of St. John the Baptist (June 24 - Midsummer). More ordinary festivities, celebrated even today, are so closely associated with beer that they are known as öl ("ale") and include Gravöl (a wake, or "funeral ale"), Barnöl (a christening, or "child-ale") and taklagsöl (a barn-raising, or "roofing-ale") (Nylén, p. 57).

While alcoholic beverages were important in Viking culture, the Norse peoples had an acute awareness of the perils and dangers of drunkenness:

 The serving of ale in the manner described by the Beowulf poet was not a servant's task, but a jealously guarded privilege accorded to the highest-ranking Germanic women. The poet is careful to establish the birth, character, and queenly attributes of Hrothgar's queen (Enright, p. 6). Another Old English poem, Maxims I, also emphasizes that this ceremonial serving of drink was an important duty expected of any noble Anglo-Saxon woman (lines 83b-92):

 The drinking vessels themselves could be of varied types. The most primitive were simple cones made of rolled birch or rowan bark.

Carefully polished horns were used. These were often adorned with precious metals and jewelry-work at mouth and point. The drinking horn has become known as the only Viking drinking vessel to modern folk, however there is evidence that horns were reserved for high-status usage for rituals such as offering a stirrup-cup, the various öl festivities and seasonal celebrations, and the formal ale-feast of sumbel:

 It seems that to be offered alcohol in a horn was a mark of status, although - the many references to drinking horns in heroic literature apart - clearer evidence comes from later sources including the Middle English romance of King Horn. At her bridal feast a king's daughter is carrying a ceremonial drinking horn round to the guests, but when she is accosted by a man she thinks is a beggar, she offers him instead drink in a large bowl as being more fitting to his condition.... Horns were the ceremonial drinking vessel for those of high status all through the period (Hagen, p. 243).

It is possible that some horns were carved with simple incised lines. Scholars commenting on the highly sculptural horns of the High Middle Ages in Scandinavia note that in rural regions of Norway an older tradition of drinking horn ornamentation survived:

Most Norwegian drinking horns preserved from the Middle Ages belong to the goldsmith's art, since most of the various kinds or ornamentation are found on the metal mountings, while the horns themselves are smooth and unornamented. The known carvings are relatively late, and almost all of them have a simple, incised ornamentation that classifies them as folk art. They were, in fact, carved in Norwegian rural districts, and the style of the carving is retarded, making it difficult to establish if the horns are actually from the Middle Ages. The ornamentation is dominated by the Romanesque twining stems and leaves (Magerøy, p. 70).

The funnel beakers, which averaged 5" in height, became the most prevalent type of glass drinking vessel by the 10th century.

Glass drinking vessels were an important luxury import in Scandinavia. Perhaps most imported glassware came from the Rhine region, comprising tall beakers and small jars and flasks in light blue, green, or brown glass which was often decorated with applied or marvered trailing. Glassware unique in design that was produced for the Scandinavian market includes glass drinking horns, claw beakers (drinking glasses which have applied glass trails on the sides that resemble "claws"), and funnel beakers (so named for their shape), and bag beakers (drinking glasses with rounded bottoms shaped something like a bag).

Glass "drinking horn" from Östra Varv Sweden

Modern glass drinking horn

No less ceremonial than the drinking vessel itself was the mode of serving. The sagas often tell of the first round of drink (at least) being served by noble women. An excellent example occurs in this passage from the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, lines 607-641:

Came Wealhtheow forth,
queen of Hrothgar, heedful of courtesy,
gold-decked, greeting the guests in hall;
and the high-born lady handed the cup
first to the East-Danes' heir and warden,
bade him be blithe at the beer-carouse,
the land's beloved one. Lustily took he
banquet and beaker, battle-famed king.
Through the hall then went the Helmings' Lady,
to younger and older everywhere
carried the cup, till come the moment
when the ring-graced queen, the royal-hearted,
to Beowulf bore the beaker of mead.
She greeted the Geats' lord, God she thanked,
in wisdom's words, that her will was granted,
that at last on a hero her hope could lean
for comfort in terrors. The cup he took,
hardy-in-war, from Wealhtheow's hand,
and answer uttered the eager-for-combat.
Beowulf spoke, bairn of Ecgtheow:--

The Havamal counciled it was poor form to become drunk at the sumbel. 

"I counsel thee ...
I pray thee be wary ...
Be wariest of all with ale." 

Finally, as Foote and Wilson point out, while "the Vikings seem to have been men of some thirst," their drink contained large quantities of impurities, and therefore they, too, were subject to "frightful hangovers..."

great info from http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/

 Spöllberg, Germany

Julius von Ehren (1864 - 1944)
Möwen an der Alster, um 1905

 Hamburg has always been an attractive city for artists. Cosmopolitan life in the city centre, bustling activity in the harbour and on the Elbe, the pleasures on the Outer Alster lake and at the Uhlenhorst Ferry House, not to mention the rural idyll of the vale of the Alster tributary, have never ceased to inspire artists.

Through February 14th at Hamburger Kunsthalle

 Ice drifts along the Spree River reflecting the sinking sun at Oberbaumbrucke in Berlin, on January 27, 2010

Published: 31 Jul 09 16:41 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090731-20955.html

Despite falling consumption, those who are still enjoying Germany’s beer can know that it's been given top marks from the national consumer watchdog association.

Daily newspaper Bild reported that Öko-test looked at flavour and ingredients of all its samples in the grading process, and 44 of the 46 beers were graded “very good.”

Those suffering from the recession will delight in knowing that even the “cheap beers” were graded well, such as the Original Oettinger and Sternburg Pilsener, which cost only 40 cents per litre.

When it came to pure taste, 38 beers were given top marks. The Ayinger Jahrhundert-Bier and Pinkus Special - both of which can only be found regionally - were the gold stars of the group. Only one beer, the Wicküler Pilsner, was put in the “satisfactory” category – the lowest mark available in Öko-test’s food and beverage rankings.

Beer lovers can also rejoice in knowing German brewers are putting the best ingredients in their beer. All but one beer, which had an incorrect alcohol percentage on the label, were given the “very good” score in the ingredients category.

The study concluded that there was little difference in quality between regional brands and internationally known brands like Becks, Bild reported.
The Local (news@thelocal.de)

Return of the Beer Stein Carrying Contest Video

 1st unofficial attempt of the strongest Dutch ever Mr. Rob from Holland to set a new World record in carrying 22 of 1 ltr. beersteins. Unfortunately he failed....

Zigge-zagge, hoi,hoi,hoi

contact persons: Terry at: terryjk@amerytel.net, Henry at LJKEH@aol.com