Private passions: Chalice in Wonderland

A former UN peacekeeping officer, one-time bobsledder, ex-investment banker and keen mountaineer, Adrian Bridge, managing director of The Fladgate Partnership – whose Port brands include Taylor’s, Croft, Krohn and Fonseca, is a man of many talents. However his curious collection of 800 antique drinking vessels – the oldest dating back to 6,000BC – is one of his greatest passions. “It’s too easy to get wrapped up in work; you need to keep a broad level of interest,” said Bridge, speaking to the drinks business about his multitude of interests last year – his ever-growing collection a testament to this belief. Starting with a single Roman cup bought from an antiques dealer in London, his collection now boasts a 6,000BC limestone-carved cup from what was the ‘cradle of civilisation’, now northern Syria, among a great many more exotic and curious drinking vessels used throughout the ages. What started as a hobby has turned into a museum, with his collection now so extensive that it is to get its own billing within Fladgate’s impending World of Wine attraction in Porto, set to open in 2020.

Bridge with a 6,000BC limestone cup

How did you first get into collecting ancient drinking vessels?

I started collecting after a suggestion by Jamie Ede (Charles Ede Ltd) from whom I had bought a few antiquities. He put it in my mind to have a collection of Roman drinking vessels that I could use to serve Port in. It seemed a great idea and I started. I have used some of them a number of times to serve Port but this requires care. I need to choose ones that I can easily wash up (even after dinner) and that are ‘clean’ enough to drink from – i.e. no ancient earth encrustations. Experience tells me that it is not a great idea to use them though – not because any have been broken but just because it tends to kill the dinner party a bit.

How many are in your collection?

It is up to about 800 and spans from a stone beaker from 6,000BC up to a recent Lalique that James Suckling gave me. However, I have not really bothered to collect from the last 100 years yet.

What is it about ancient cups and glasses that most interests you?

They were made to drink from! That is, for parties or ancient ritual. They have been held by people to laugh, cry, console themselves, to cement treaties or as ritual offering for people going to the afterlife.

How do you go about tracking down these rare artefacts?

When you start it is daunting. I was greatly inspired by James Ede at the outset as he was able to give me the encouragement to trust good dealers and to know what to look for. The late Christopher Sheppard also played an important role as he knew about glass from all periods – I bought from Roman to Georgian from him. However, the world is small and once you start to look you can meet many experts who will help you source and give their knowledge freely. I have bought mostly in Europe and the USA, often through dealers, auctions or directly from other collectors.

Do you ever serve wines using your collected wares, or are they too precious?

They do get used. Probably my most disastrous use was the 6,000BC carved limestone beaker. It fits wonderfully in the hand and has great weight and balance. I thought it would be fun to use soon after I acquired it. I was with some friends at The Yeatman Hotel, where it was on display. I took it from the display case, poured Taylor 40 year old Port in and passed it round – a ‘loving cup’. As it passed on there were a few mumbles but no great acclaim. It then arrived with me, the last person. I tasted it and it was disgusting. I then remembered that I had not washed it – in fact it might have not been washed for centuries. The old dirt accumulated in the bottom had rather spoiled a great glass of Port.

What’s the most interesting fact that you have learned in building your collection about drinking habits of old?

It is extraordinary to see what effort goes into making drinking vessels and how they have always reflected the wealth of the purchaser at the time. Fine silver Roman drinking horns made at the same time and simple clay for Roman soldiers; finely engraved Georgian glass or delicate Venetian alongside rather chunky glass or wooden cups. Every aspect of society reflecting their view of what was fine, possible or useful but all for the purpose of having a drink.

What’s the most valuable piece in your collection?

This is hard to say as the easy answer might be the one that costs the most. However, I like vessels with a story. I purchased at auction in 2015 two glasses that were used by Lord Liverpool (the then Prime Minister) and his Foreign Secretary who used them to toast the news of the victory at Waterloo. One has Lord Liverpool’s family crest on and is clearly part of a set, the other a more simple engraved glass but the moment was significant in British history.

Which item holds the most sentimental or personal value?

I have no particular one yet but there are some with more extraordinary stories or are just very rare. I know about most of them in detail although I will admit that the collection has now got to a size that this becomes harder. I do have a bronze skypos from Macedonia that was probably from a set used by Alexander the Great in 330BC – the Met has a similar one in its collection. I admire the ambition and leadership that Alexander showed so it is great to have something that he possibly drank from.

Ever had an accidental breakage? What was the damage?

I have had one breakage which happened when a Medieval Glass was being packed away – it broke along an ancient repair so it did not devalue the glass. The way to avoid breakage is to treat them as though they are normal – if you hold to lightly then they can slip. The thing I always warn people about is rings on their fingers as these will easily break a glass if you are balancing it in the hand.

Is there a particular drinking vessel that you would one day like to acquire?

I have a Roman ‘rock crystal’ glass but not one from the 18th century when they were making very elaborately carved ‘rock crystal’ often to European Royal families. I am also on the look out for a Rython (drinking horn) in gold from early Greece so if any of your readers can help…

Do you collect anything else?

Collecting is a bit of a disease and once you have it the cure is tough. I collected book matches when I was young and sugar packets. I once had a collection of miniatures but in my teens I gave up on that and drank them with friends. For some reason, when the children were young, I started collecting swords. The problem is not the collecting it is having space to display the collection and then, God forbid, having to sell a few pieces to trade up.

What is the grand plan for your growing collection?

The reason that the drinking vessels collection grew to the size it is happened because I have decided to display it in a purpose built museum in the World of Wine, in Porto. This will open in 2020 and I hope that visitors will see the development of drinking vessels over the last 8,000 years as an interesting journey and reflect on what we all use to drink. Remember, the best glass of wine is the one that we have with friends and for that, mankind has always needed a vessel to put the drink in.