Onward into the fog...

[Gwydion Stone]

The spigots on all but the vintage repro fountain are plastic. They are pretty though. Truthfully, it cost almost $70 to make my fountain.

[elric13]

Sirrah, I dispute NOT that your field-modified lemonade jar cost you less than $70... nonetheless, should that fact make me any less susceptible to your wiles (+ shipping)???

[G&C]

As far as couriers go...it seems to depend on the courier company and the actual courier. Some delivery people are grate, some totally suxx.

I would say it's more the individual. My packages used to be waiting for me at the door when I'd come home from work.

Lately, if no ones available to give a signature, I get to play courier tag for the next 2-3 days.

[Auguru]

Noting I'm from Atlanta, I can say that my experience with(or is itnow?) is better than. That is not for absinthe-related deliveries (I've only had one so far, courier not mentioned, you know). For other products, theis the most aggravating because of theproblem. Thefolks have a local "store-front" near me so if I miss them I just have to make a quick trip and pick it up. They are conveniently open until 8pm weekdays...

 

I suspect the bigger problem might be if your neighbors find out what is being delivered, it might go missing from your porch if you leave a "release" on your door.

 

(I feel so dirty talking about the couriers like this).

Edited October 17, 2005 by Hiram

[Gwydion Stone]

As well you should.

[G&C]

That's pretty cool how you did that Hiram.

[Gwydion Stone]

It made me feel dirty.

[Auguru]

To your credit, Hiram. Any my soapy mouth taste, nothing a little Ivory won't fix. If only you could make the deletions look like those crude/redacted parts of government docs after the censors have their way...

[Gwydion Stone]

Good idea.

[G&C]

I was going to say, just give him a minute or two.

[Grey Boy]

I would say it's more the individual. My packages used to be waiting for me at the door when I'd come home from work.

Lately, if no ones available to give a signature, I get to play courier tag for the next 2-3 days.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Same here,

I tired of playing tag so I have them shipped to work instead.

[G&C]

I just quit ordering from over seas.

 

I have a lot of back stock to work through.

[elric13]

WOOHOO!!! Goodies have arrived!!!

 

No sig needed, just heaven on the doorstep. :D

 

So, MDCaW & I have agreed on Saturday evening as The Moment.

This is what we have to work with:

Jade N-O

WF60

UE68

VdF72

 

All generic slurs aside, since everything will be sampled at least once, I'm asking for a Forum-Recommended-Sequence-of-Events. Given 4 louches in a row (no repeats), how should we sequence taste tests?

[WhyteKnight]

If it were me I'd start with the White Fairy, the Verte Fou, then UE68 and NO.

[G&C]

UE68

WF

Verte Fou

NO

[Gwydion Stone]

I think that's the same line-up I gave him, G&C.

[Jack B]

3 glasses for the sink (any order) then have a glass of Jade NO.

[elric13]

(sigh) Jack... as I was typing the post, I had a "Criswell" moment... I predicted a full day in advance what your reply would be...

:thumbs_up:

Edited January 27, 2005 by elric13

[Gwydion Stone]

I knew I recognized that avatar!

[G&C]

If that's what one has to drink, that would be the only order for them to be drank, IMO.

[elric13]

Or you could just use a fork.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I've been practicing... but every single time I tried to pick the sugar cube up with the fork, the tines keep breaking the cube apart!!! (HAR!) I finally gave up and, with my last purchase, got an 'offical' spoon at a discount... WHAT A CHEAP PIECE OF JUNK!!! Obviously stamped out of a press by Chinese slave labor... (sigh)

 

Just curious: those of you who have made the effort to purchase actual antique absinthe tools; please tell me they weren't that cheap at the turn of the century...

[WhyteKnight]

Actually I recall a collector (ed: I'm pretty sure it was Oxygenee but I could be wrong) talking about spoons not too long ago. As I recall, they tend to usually be made of "metal blanc," which is something probably like tin or aluminum that's sturdy enough, but plenty cheap. Pieces were often stamped, but I suspect they were pretty resilient objects to have lasted this long. Plus take into consideration the fact that most spoons were used in a cafe or bistro setting where something is going to need to stand up to being used a whole lot without costing way too much. There are a few examples of personally owned spoons as well. From all the photos I have seen and whatnot the spoons tend to look like they're of fairly decent quality though. With the exception of Phil's reproductions, I'd say they're probably far better than what is currently available.

Edited January 28, 2005 by WhyteKnight

[Gwydion Stone]

There was some discussion of this at Oxy's collector's forum a month ago.

 

There is a rumor that someone will be producing a line of higher quality absinthe spoons in the next year or so.

 

I've always wondered where the "fine tableware" versions were. If absinthe was so omni-present, it stands to reason that there would be at least a few fine flatware makers capitalizing on a century long obsession. Looking at most of the spoons around these days, they seem like knock-offs of a much nicer item. Where are the items they're knock-offs of?

 

Or am I talking out of my arse?

 

I wondered why the sound was muffled...

 

By and large, there weren't fine tableware versions of absinthe spoons. I can say this with some certainty, not only because the spoons haven't turned up, but more importantly because I have the original product catalogues from Christofle, Gombault and several other producers, and none of them list an absinthe spoon amongst the household or fine dining utensils. They're only listed in the bar and bistrot-ware section. Since this was the age of speciality flatware - oyster spoons, olive spoons, tuna forks, asparagus servers - we can be certain that if there was any significant demand for absinthe spoons for domestic use, they would have been produced. It seems likely that absinthe was overwhelmingly a drink consumed in public, not at home - certainly the classic absinthe ritual (which is what necessitated the perforated spoon) was an almost exclusively public event (perhaps in the same way that the preparation of a tequila slammer or a flaming sambuca is today).

 

The relatively few illustrations I've seen showing absinthe being drunk in a domestic situation show either retired military men, or alcoholics.

 

Having said this, one does occasionally find spoons that were probably for home use. I have a box of chrome-plated Les Ouvrages spoons that from the packaging I'd guess were destined for personal use, and the Grille #45 below is a high quality silver version of the more usual nickel-plated spoon. It was made for a wealthy Genevois family, and only recently sold by the original owner's daughter.

[Conju]

Also take into account the fact that spoons were frequently stolen from cafes in the belle epoch area. So that's probably one of the constituents, if not the prime constituent, to the lack of demand for domestic use.

 

 

Just one man's opinion.

[Absomphe]

Just one man's oppinion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

And one little BOY'S spelling.

[Conju]

My english and spelling is my weak area, true. But I do happen to excel in math and science, as hard as that is to believe.

[Absomphe]

I find that quite easy to believe, believe it or not.

 

Too bad absinthe forums don't tend to allow you to show off those talents to the fullest.

 

Or not.

[Grey Boy]

I have an antique spoon made of aluminum.

 

I don't use it for fear that the dripping water will bend it.

[Jack B]

My only antique spoon is made out of preban aluminum foil.