A Vintage La Cressonnée Absinthe Carafe

This unusual mouth blown carafe was inspired by similar pieces found in bars and bistros throughout Europe in the late 19th century. Once water is added to the carafe, the water acts to magnify and enlarges the text on the dome. The domed indention in the bottom of the carafe is referred to as the loop, or loupe, which means magnifying glass in French. This magnification was a useful way to grab one’s attention as a popular marketing tool.

Water carafes generally sat on bistro tables and were the most common method of preparing a traditional French/Swiss absinthe during the Belle Époque. The correct technique in using the carafe to make an absinthe is to slowly pour, or drip, the water onto the sugar cubes until the sugar has completely dissolved from the spoon and fallen into the glass of absinthe as sugar water. Since absinthe is made to one'’s own taste, the amount of water (and sugar) added is decided by the preparer’.