Absinthe Accessories

The Green Fairy has enjoyed much discussion here on Tiki Central. I'd like to know if there are any good/reputable on-line sources for the accoutrements necessary for traditional absinthe service. Spoons, glasses, water fountains, etc. I see them on ebay and a few websites. Anyone out there have any positive experiences ordering from anywhere in particular? Thanks in advance for your absinthe assistance.

-Weird Unc

La Fee Absinthe has the basics at a reasonable price: http://www.lafeeabsinthe.com/ -- although many of its items are marked with its advertising logo. Not a bad logo as these things go.

I bought a few items a few years ago from a web site called absinthe originals which appears to now be defunct. La Verandah would recommend Ebay, so long as you choose a dealer with an excellent rating and don't believe quite all the advertising. Even under the category of "antiques," most of the items can not be honestly classified as such. They are reproductions.

Which is fine, so long as you are not paying the price good antiques should command. For regular use, it's best to have items you can easily replace anyway. When La Verandah has a largish soiree she brings out the tall glasses and forks -- a well-balanced fork nicely takes the place of an absinthe spoon.

If you really want some gen-u-wine absinthe antiques, study up on what they look like -- there were many manufacturers of glasses, spoons, carafes, dispensers, etc. back in the day -- and keep a look out for old stuff that the seller may not recognize for what it is. People who sell Victorian-era silverware, for instance, might label an absinthe spoon as some kind of pie server. OTOH, La Verandah has seen a few "absinthe spoons" which were really antique berry servers or some such (the Victorians and Edwardians were mad for a plethora of silver utensils -- it was considered tacky to touch food with one's bare fingers).

One good source for absinthe and history of its accessories is La Fee Verte: http://www.feeverte.net/

Absinthe Originals is certainly not defunct, it has gone from strength to strength, and, as always, can be found here: http://www.absintheoriginals.com.

Absinthe Originals sells only authentic absinthe era antiques, but we have low cost reproduction items available at http://www.absinthespoon.com.

For a comprehensive online museum of original absinthe art, antiques and absinthiana, visit the Virtual Absinthe Museum at http://www.oxygenee.com. There is a section specifically devoted to starting a collection here: http://www.oxygenee.com/absinthe-antiques.html.

Hope this helps!

[ Edited by: Oxygenee 2008-05-20 01:43 ]

I have heard good things about Absinthe Originals, but I have not bought any thing from them yet. Back when I did buy absinthe spoons, I bought mainly from Mike Iavarone and the Frenchman. Unfortunately Mike passed away a few years ago, the Frenchman is still online but he sells mostly reproductions now. http://www.absinthefrenchmanspoon.com/

I have been collecting absinthe spoons for over 20 years now and I have posted this pic of my collection of absinthe stuff to the absinthe discussion thread a while ago.

Prices on antique spoons have skyrocketed lately so I have not added any new ones to my collection since this was taken.

One last note, about passing reproductions off as antiques, I find most eBay sellers with high feedback ratings are honest. Most reproductions are very good, but the usually look brand new. So check the manufacturer's marks when you can and beware of new looking antique spoons. The book by Marie-Claude Delahaye on absinthe spoons is a great guide to help you if you plan on collecting or buying an antique spoon.

[ Edited by: captnkirk 2008-05-20 09:30 ]

[ Edited by: captnkirk 2009-01-29 03:55 ]

On 2008-05-20 01:35, Oxygenee wrote:
Absinthe Originals is certainly not defunct, it has gone from strength to strength, and, as always, can be found here: http://www.absintheoriginals.com.

Absinthe Originals sells only authentic absinthe era antiques, but we have low cost reproduction items available at http://www.absinthespoon.com.

For a comprehensive online museum of original absinthe art, antiques and absinthiana, visit the Virtual Absinthe Museum at http://www.oxygenee.com. There is a section specifically devoted to starting a collection here: http://www.oxygenee.com/absinthe-antiques.html.

What an amazing set of sites. A plethora of ephemera, history and facts, well organized. No question is left unanswered. Humbling, as it demotes any dabbling of mine into this subject to the beginner's level. DANGEROUS for people with a weakness for collecting!

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-05-20 10:49 ]

I've purchased from La Maison d'Absinthe (based in USA) and was very happy with the products and service.
http://www.lamaisondabsinthe.com

Perhaps this isn't the best thread to ask this, but those of you who have had the opportunity to try the St. George's, how does it compare to the Lucid?

Suzanne

Not so much about the paraphernalia, but more about Absinthe itself, check out the Wormwood Society

http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/

On 2008-05-30 19:48, paranoid123 wrote:
Not so much about the paraphernalia, but more about Absinthe itself, check out the Wormwood Society

http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/

Thank you, that is really a very informative and helpful website!

Suzanne

Stuff from La Maison D'Absinthe isn't too terribly expensive. Spoons and glasses in the $9-12 range. Most of their fountains are pricey, ornate models, but they have a simple glass one with two silver plastic spouts for $48.

I already have a Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower) spoon with the Absente logo which came with my bottle. I want to be able to serve absinthe with a flourish at parties, so I plan to buy that $48 fountain, a second Tour Eiffel spoon ($11), and two Reservoir type glasses ($11 each) unless I find some suitable glasses at a thrift store. Armed with these supplies, loaf sugar cubes, my bottles of Absente and Kubler, and a lot of historical information with which to charm onlookers... Some people like to come and show off their mixology skills? I hope I can pull off the Absinthe Professor guise.

Finding real absinthe antiques in US antique shops is probably going to be quite difficult, but that won't stop me from trying and shouldn't stop anyone else. If you see any dealers in antique malls who seem to specialize in silverware, you might contact them.

One of the oldest and most reliable (and just plain best, really, given all they've done to steer the absinthe revival in the direction of quality) online vendors is Liqueurs de France, http://www.absintheonline.com. I've done business with them ever since the days when the old version Un Emile 65 was considered the best commercial absinthe available in the world -- so, like 4 years or so -- and they are absolutely fantastic.

A great online source of information & absinthe accessories is http://www.absintheonthenet.com/servlet/the--dsh-Glass-%26-Spoon-Sets/Categories. They have EVERYTHING!!!!