I like the European custom of drinking table wine out of tumblers. Somehow, without the tall, elegant stem, wine seems to come-back-down-to-Earth. And perhaps that's how wine is best appreciated: as a regular, quotidian enjoyment (not a precious, rarified celebration). Fruit of the Earth, wine is best imbibed without pretension. No need to place it upon a pedestal. I recall watching old men playing cards outside a cafe in Naples; they were sipping their wine from little tumblers (and you can bet it was great wine—even at three Euro per bottle).
The glasses above, made in the late Thirties or Forties, are an elegant rendition of that humble wine tumbler. The glass is "corseted" and softly faceted—giving the tumbler a subtle, optical element. Sprays of flowers are hand-carved into the glass. And the tumbler sits atop a cobalt blue glass foot—a handsome, dramatic presentation. Click on the photo above to learn more about this set of four tumblers.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248