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This type of specialized drinking vessel was called a stirrup cup. While the form had ancient Roman precedents, they were most popular throughout the late 18th and 19th centuries. This type of cup was often presented to a rider on horseback — while their feet were in the stirrups of the saddle — when they were departing or arriving home, often from the hunt. Since stirrup cups generally have no base, the presence of servants to hand the cup (sometimes on a specially fitted tray) to the drinker was necessary and the recipient was required to down the contents fairly quickly.
