Melchior tea glass holder, podstakannik, подстака́нник, Soviet Union, USSR (CCCP), 1970s

Details

Original tea glass holder (подстака́нник, podstakannik)
Vintage, kitchen decor. Russian, USSR 1970s
Material: melchior
Height: 10,0 cm x Diameter: 7,5 cm

The podstakannik (подстака́нник, literally "thing under the glass"), or tea glass holder, is a holder with a handle, most commonly made of metal that holds a drinking glass (stakan). Their primary purpose is to be able to hold a very hot glass of tea, which is usually consumed right after it is brewed. 

In the Soviet Union they were made mostly from nickel silver, cupronickel, and other alloys with nickel, silver, or gold plating. Though in modern times, simple tea cups or mugs are typically used by Russians at home, podstakanniks continue to be widely used for serving tea on the Russian Railways, since they provide more safety while drinking or carrying tea on a moving train. Most Russian tea glass holders have been produced by a plant located in Kolchugino, Vladimir Oblast. Kolchug-Mizar, its name deriving from its location and the alloy melchior, continues to be the main glass holder producer to this day. Some podstakanniks depict architecture, famous people, famous dates in history, cities, etcetera, giving a good general survey of Russian and Soviet history.

This particular tea glass holder depicts space motives / cosmos / sputnik and rockets around the world.