Cultural Heritage In Pictures: Coffee Tableware

What should not be missing on the coffee table? Cake - and coffee ware, of course! When tea, coffee and cocoa arrived in Europe, new drinking vessels were needed. Precious porcelain was first imported from China for the fine hot drinks; later, the ‘white gold’ was also produced in Germany, for example in Meissen from 1708. At first, by the way, the drink was not drunk from the cup but from the saucer - so it cooled down more quickly. In the 19th century, the brutal exploitation of the colonies led to tea, coffee, cocoa and sugar becoming affordable and an everyday luxury in Europe. The coffee service is now also on the table in middle-class households. ‘Service’ because coffee was originally served. In this coffee or tea service, all the pieces are coordinated. Shapes, colours and designs change over time. A particularly curious piece is the beard cup - a bar on the edge of the cup protects the well-modelled moustache from unwanted softening.