Monteith
Used to chill wineglasses, these stylized bowls were first brought west from China in the late seventeenth century. After the monteith was filled with cold water, each glass could be hung by its foot from a notch in the monteith’s rim, so that the bowl of every glass was submerged. The English name for the device is said to come from a “fantastical Scot” named Monteigh, who favored a cloak with scalloped edges to attract attention.
Artwork Details
- Title: Monteith
- Date: 1700–1720
- Geography: Made in China
- Culture: Chinese
- Medium: Porcelain
- Dimensions: H. 6 3/16 in. (15.7 cm); Diam. 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm)
- Credit Line: Gift of Mildred R. Mottahedeh, 1978
- Object Number: 1978.503
- Curatorial Department: The American Wing
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