Sterling Silver Quaich
When you search for a sterling silver quaich, you uncover a traditional Scottish drinking vessel designed with two characteristic flat handles for a secure grip.
What a sterling silver quaich is
A sterling silver quaich is a traditional Scottish drinking vessel, formed as a shallow bowl set with two opposing handles known as lugs. These pieces function as drinking cups, whisky bowls, and presentation vessels, tracing their lineage back to ancient wooden drinking bowls.
The versions most commonly met on this page span the Victorian, Edwardian, and mid twentieth-century periods, often reflecting Arts and Crafts or Celtic Revival styles. Makers adapted the traditional form into barware, presentation pieces, and novelty designs shaped like barrels or fitted with bird-shaped handles.
Makers also produced specialised examples, such as golf trophies, regimental pieces, and coronation commemoratives, using solid sterling silver throughout. Buyers encounter simple domestic bowls alongside heavily planished pieces bearing traditional Scottish motifs and civic crests.
How they were made
Silversmiths constructed these vessels from sterling silver, occasionally combining the metal with turned wood, bog oak, or enamel details. Techniques range from plain sheet silver forming simple circular bowls to complex hand-hammered surfaces.
Planished surfaces display the visible marks of the silversmith's hammer, creating a textured finish typical of the Arts and Crafts movement. Other pieces utilise repousse decoration, chased Celtic knotwork, or cast handles shaped as birds and lugs.
Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical UK retail prices for sterling silver quaich, calculated from the Sellingantiques database of over a million retail prices indexed since 2003. This retail price guide relies exclusively on Sellingantiques data; no external sources or auction records are used, so the figures do not describe the wider market.
Listings feature sterling silver quaiches spanning the Victorian, Edwardian, and mid twentieth-century periods, with Arts and Crafts styles heavily represented.
What varies in quality
The distinction between standard commercial output and superior craftsmanship rests in the weight of the metal and the depth of the hand-working. Heavier vessels with substantial gauge silver demonstrate greater material investment, while planished pieces show the individual touch of named makers rather than factory stamping.
Design complexity also separates the range, moving from plain functional whisky cups to elaborately chased Celtic Revival examples or novelty forms like barrels. The presence of crisp hallmarks, detailed cast handles, and specialised provenance elevates certain pieces above standard domestic silver bowls.
R E Stone·Nathan and Hayes·Mackay and Chisholm·William Aitken·Asprey·Tiffany and Co·Hamilton and Inches·Joseph Gloster Ltd·Bernard Instone·Wakely and Wheeler·Robert Pringle and Sons
The Sterling Silver Quaich Glossary
- Quaich
- A traditional Scottish two-handled drinking vessel derived from wooden predecessors. It functions primarily as a whisky cup or presentation bowl.
- Lug
- One of the two flat, projecting handles attached to the rim of a quaich. They allow the drinker to hold the vessel securely with both thumbs.
- Planished
- A metal surface beaten with a small-faced hammer to create a textured, light-reflecting finish. This technique is closely associated with Arts and Crafts silversmithing.
- Repousse
- A decorative metalworking technique where the silversmith hammers the design from the reverse side to form a raised relief on the front. It creates tactile ornamentation on bowls and wine tasters.
- Treen
- Small domestic objects made from turned wood. Some early quaiches combine this wooden construction with silver mounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a quaich used for?
A quaich is traditionally used for drinking whisky, functioning as a welcoming cup passed among guests at gatherings and celebrations.
Over time, these vessels also assumed roles as presentation pieces, sports trophies, and decorative bowls for domestic use.
Why does a quaich have two handles?
The two flat handles, or lugs, allow the drinker to hold the vessel securely with both hands while looking directly at the person sitting opposite.
This design evolved from early wooden drinking vessels to offer a stable grip when passing the cup around a table.
Are all quaiches made of silver?
While many examples on this page are formed from solid sterling silver, historical versions were carved entirely from wood or stone.
Silversmiths later adopted the traditional shape, occasionally pairing silver bodies with wooden inserts or bog oak bases.
How do I date an antique quaich?
You can date these pieces by examining the silver hallmarks stamped onto the metal, which indicate the assay office and year of manufacture.
Stylistic clues such as Arts and Crafts planishing or Edwardian Celtic Revival motifs also help identify the period.