Ilanz-Pitasch, around 1500

The shape of this glass vessel is slightly reminiscent of a harvested cabbage stalk, hence the term «Krautstrunk». In addition to their decorative effect, however, the prunts on the surface, formed by applying drops of glass, also had a practical purpose: they made it less likely that the glass slipped out of one’s hand.

In the Middle Ages the «Krautstrunk» served as an everyday drinking vessel for beer and wine, but it was also sometimes used as a vessel for sacramental wine or relics, as was the case with this object. In Graubünden there was no notable glass production. Hence, most of the glassware items in the collection were imported.