Berkemeyer
Encyclopedia
A Berkemeyer is a drinking glass with a wide, flared bowl dating from the 15th century Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 and Holland, and still made today. They have a characteristic green or yellow colour caused by iron impurities in the sand used for glass production. The thick, hollow stem is covered with prunt
Prunt
A prunt is a small blob of glass fused to a piece of glass. Prunts are applied primarily as decoration, but also help provide a firm grip in the absence of a handle.- Types of prunt :raspberry prunt:A prunt impressed to the shape of a raspberry...

s providing a secure grip for hands greasy from feasting, similar to the römer
Rummer
Rummers, Römers or Roemers, were large drinking-glasses studded with prunts to ensure a safe grip, popular in the Rhineland and the Netherlands from the 15th through the 17th century. They lacked the flared bowl of the Berkemeyer and had much thinner walls. The hollow base was built up by coiling...

.

Berkemeyers were originally carved from birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...

 tree branches (berkemei) and were provided with lids. The prunts on the stems of glasses reminded drinkers of the rough bark of the wooden beakers, hence the association. They were frequently depicted in still lifes of table settings by the Dutch masters in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK