Core77

Ok, so the elegant branches of Etienne Meneau's "Strange Carafes" more closely resemble arteries than their heartward counterparts... but I couldn't pass up the felicitous anagram+alliteration of the two terms. Either way, they're an artistic take on a traditional piece of glassware, the wine vessel reimagined as a sculptural object. The glass tubes branch into upwards of sixteen rounded 'feet,' which resemble test tubes; the numbered variations (literally "Carafe No. 2," Carafe No. 5," etc.) are differentiated by the number of and diameter of the phalanges, the branching pattern, and straight or curved segments.

In addition to the 'terminal' editions, Menau has also produced a couple cœurs, where the arteries are interconnected to form an abstract heart-shaped knot, a more explicit nod to the (putative) cardiovascular benefits of wine.

I'm not sure if the Strange Carafes are particularly suited to the decanter's secondary purpose of aeration—i.e. 'letting the wine breathe'—but they're certainly a beautiful way to present a libation, fit for a king or well-to-do oenophile (they start at €1000; most are €2000+).

Of course, it also occurred to me that the carafes aren't exactly dishwasher-safe: Meneau notes that borosilicate is quite durable, and a bit of hot water and alcohol will do the trick. It's worth noting that they're equally interesting when inverted (i.e. when they're left out to dry.)

More: Object Culture • Comments (1)

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