Maddock Eggcups

Q: What are these items? Are they dessert cups? I’m hoping they hold some interest.

A: These are eggcups and are used to hold soft-boiled eggs. A soft-cooked egg is put into the cup with the larger end down, the top of the shell is cut off, and the egg is scooped out and eaten from its shell. Special spoons were made to scoop out the egg. Eggcups have been made for several centuries and can be found in porcelain, pottery, silver, wood and other materials. During Victorian times eggcups were made in sets of four to twelve as part of a dinner service. Double eggcups like yours became popular in the 1930s. Each end holds a different size egg. The larger end can also be used to hold a peeled egg so it can be chopped and mixed with other ingredients. Eggcups are collectible. Collectors call the hobby “pocillovy,” based on Latin for a “small cup” and “egg.”