Puzzle tankard (Vexierkrug)

German, Regensburg

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 520

The piece protruding from the handle of this tankard is not merely a design element: it is hollow, as is part of the handle, and together they form a straw. Inventive vessels like these were used in drinking games where participants unfamiliar with the tankard’s secret would be challenged to drain their cup without allowing their lips to touch its rim. The presence of two shields on the lid indicates that this tankard may have been a wedding gift.

Puzzle tankard (Vexierkrug), Gilded, engraved, and enameled silver, German, Regensburg

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