A mug stand is now becoming a familiar attribute for every home, be it a family home or a bachelor’s apartment. This small item combines a lot of advantages - it helps to preserve the surface of tables, decorates the interior, is relatively inexpensive and even serves as a collectible.
In our country, interest in this attribute is only beginning to grow, while in the West, a practical and inexpensive accessory has been used for quite some time. In addition, this subject has its own story, as well as manufacturing standards. How did the mug stand appear? What is the name of this accessory and what can it be made of? We learn from a short digression into history.
Beer coaster, bonfire, burmat or tatsek?
It turns out that the stand for the mug has a name - a beaker. This word comes from the German bierdeckel, which means "lid for beer." It would seem, what does the lid have to do with it? The thing is in the widespread tradition of Germany in the 19th century to close beer mugs with lids to protect the drink from insects and dust. For rich people only, the lids were made of tin and were non-removable, while less affluent citizens covered beer with round pieces of felt. It was on these felt coasters that beer mugs were sometimes placed in order to remove flowing foam.
The Germans liked the idea of putting a mug on a mat to absorb excess moisture so much that in 1893 they patented a more practical moisture-absorbing cardboard beadcoat. So there was a birmat, from English beermat (beer - beer, mat - rug). A beer mug stand can also be called tatsek (in Czech). But if we are talking about an ordinary cup, which requires a hot stand, then the word bonfire (from the English coaster) is often used, which means "cup mat".
Why use coasters?
The mug stand turns out to be a very functional accessory. In a stylish kitchen, such a piece of furniture is able to place the missing accents, or add coziness. In addition, not all surfaces can withstand the effects of moisture or temperature, so a beaker can help prevent untimely table damage. It will also protect against possible scratches that leave circles on glass and varnished surfaces.
Another main function that distributors coasters in drinking establishments is to use them as a marketing tool. Back in the 19th century, they noticed what kind of effect of the receptivity of information gives pleasant emotions that a person experiences in relation to drinks. It was at this moment that a mug stand caught my eye. Photo printing on a stand is a modern trend, but beer brands and institution names began to be placed on coasters from the end of the 19th century, because the advertising merits of this item can hardly be overestimated.
Forms and materials
The original mug stand, in the form in which we see it every day, was made of pressed cardboard in the shape of a circle with a diameter of just over 10 cm and a thickness of 5 mm. Today, manufacturers and home craftsmen every day come up with new coasters of various shapes from all kinds of materials. And if a company that produces bead coasters for beer producers or drinking establishments must take into account the hygroscopicity of the material and its thickness, then no restrictions are provided for the interior cup holder.
There are two main categories of coasters forms - simple and complex. Round and square stands can be simple, but complex shapes differ in polygonal, curved surfaces and in the form of silhouettes of objects. In addition, today a mug stand is not just a felt scrap of fabric. The accessory can be made of anything: wood, stones, porcelain, leather, shells, glass or cork. Beer coasters even knit or use polished agate slices.
Tegestology
Today, a mug stand is not only a functional interior item or marketing tool. Many are fond of collecting coasters, devoting a lot of time and effort to this hobby. Surprisingly, an official Latin term - tegestology (from the word tegetis - “rug”) was invented for such a lesson, and the collectors themselves are called tegestologists.
Most tagestologists live in Germany, in the homeland of the accessory. For them, in the middle of the 20th century, a special society was created called “Collectors of beer paraphernalia”, which has international status. Teestologist clubs are common in the UK, as well as in Wales and Australia. There are several categories of coasters collectors, for example, some are only interested in ceramic or felt coasters.