Wine cups

(XI/6/4)

In Alps and Sanctuaries Butler writes of his visit to the cantine or village wine cellars at Mendrisio, where the locals gathered for parties or after business hours. ‘Having been shown the cantine, we took some of the little cups which are kept inside and began to drink. These little cups are common crockery, but at the bottom there is written, Viva Bacco, Viva l’Italia, Viva la Gioia, Viva Venere, or other such matter; they are to be had in every crockery shop throughout the Mendrisiotto, and are very pretty.’

These two belonged to Butler. The marking which appears as a ‘W’ is in fact ‘VV’, meaning ‘Viva’.

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