Carafe without a foot

Polish feasting tradition produced a glass without a foot – the so-called kulawka or kusztyk – that could not be put down on a table without drinking its whole contents. Apparently, a vessel known as Hodgett’s decanter, deprived of its integral base, was invented in England in about 1750. Placed exclusively in front of the host, it stood in a specially matching frame, which meant that after filling the guests’ cups it was always returned to its original place, thus enabling the master of the house to control the amount of the served beverages. It would be difficult to suspect the owners of Wilanów of such pettiness, as evidenced by the absence of characteristic rubbings left by the stand on the lower, cut part of the bottles, which in about 1850 were described as intended for Champagne.