SC - mazers????

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Was asked:

what's a mazer?

Check out the book "Wassail! In Mazers of Mead" chapter XIII Horns, Mazers
and Mether Cups.  A mazer is a wooden drinking vessel.  Quote, "The wooden
vessels, whether ornamented with silver or not, are known as mazers, from a
Middle English word related to maple, which was the favorite wood for the
vessel.  The Icelandic word mosurr, (NOTE THERE IS A DOUBLE DOT OVER THE O)
which is obviously the same as mazer, means a maple-tree.  The Old French is
maselin and in that form we find it in Chaucer.  The old Germanic word
ma'sa' means a spot and it has been suggested that the spotted nature of the
grain of maple wood lead to this name."  He goes on to talk of reference to
period mazers made of ash, birch, alder, rosemary-tree, and reference to
those with two lugs.  He further talks of ornamentation of silver and/or
gilt with a foot added.  He the describes and classifies some extant period
specimens.  Large communal bowl types like the Scrope, Rochester and
Bannatyne or Bute mazers are the described in detail.  He the digresses and
writes about mazers left in period wills, literary and legal reference.
Returning to the main discussion he says that "There are three stages in the
development of the mazer in the Middle ages.  From the fourteenth to
fifteenth centuries the bowls were generally deep, with plain, narrow,
silver bands.  From the middle of the fifthteenth century to the middle of
the sixtieth century the bowls became shallower.  In the succeeding
Elizabethan period metal straps connecting the band round the rim to the
foot were often added."

He then talks about stemmed mazers made for individual use.  He proceeds to
discuss several existing Scottish examples and ends with a discussion of the
transition of that mazer form to silver goblets.  He provides two
illustrations of period examples one of the communal type and one of the
individual footed type.  The communal type looks like a large rounded bowl
described:

"the rim, base and side strips are of silver and the bowl is of  wood."

The second is described:

"The bowl is of wood, and the stem and rim is of silver"

Its form is like that of a saucer champagne glass as illustrated in my "Mr.
Boston Deluxe Official Bartender's Guide"

Hope this helps.

Daniel Raoul