Stainless or sterling baby cup

[sarahfran]

As kids, my sister and I had engraved metal baby cups. They were great because we could bang them around, they held small portions, and they're now keepsakes. My sister's was stainless, mine was pewter. Drinking out of the stainless was far more enjoyable than the pewter... something about the metal was icky in the mouth.

Anyway, I'd like to get something of the sort for DS and I'm wondering if anyone has input--I haven't been able to find any stainless ones on the web, and I don't know if sterling will hold up well through time (and the dishwasher, which I can't imagine not using).

Here's a sterling one I'm considering (the Wallace at $34.95)
http://www.silversuperstore.com/baby_cups.html

Anyone have thoughts on this?
TIA.
-Sarah
Mom to Dylan, 8/18/03

Motherhood is such a joy!

[new_mommy25]

I have seen some at Nordstroms.

[pritchettzoo]

Sterling would not work well in the dishwasher. It's an extrememly soft metal and would be scratched up in there.

I've never heard of pewter giving a strange mouth feel. Do you think it's all pewter or maybe just a not-so-great cup? Salisbury Pewter makes beautiful baby cups. Pewter is actually softer than stainless, so it engraves beautifully, but again would be unsuitable for a dishwasher. The upside would be that you don't have to polish pewter. Here's a link to Salisbury in case you're interested: http://www.salisburypewter.com/salsite/tbaby.html . They make reproductions of historic items and the baby cups are smaller versions of their bigger cups styled with handles (e.g., a Kentucky cup--what a mint julep is traditionally served in). I believe they have cups for all of the original 13 colonies.

But if you're going to be putting it in the dishwasher, I'd go with stainless or a very heavy duty sterling (and I still wouldn't put the sterling in the dishwasher!). On the page you linked, the Tuttle one would hold up well to use. The thinner cups are going to be more likely to dent when banged on something (like the high chair tray or table!).

Freakish information one learns when managing the china/giftware department...HTH! :)

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

[sarahfran]

Great feedback-- thanks! Maybe I will reconsider pewter. You're right that it would be much more practical! I will have to check these out IRL... the web isn't giving me the feel I need to make a decision. I'll look at Nordstroms.

thanks again!
-Sarah
Mom to Dylan, 8/18/03

Motherhood is such a joy!

[kathsmom]

Hi, Sarah!

My SIL gave my DD a Salisbury pewter cup for a baby gift. It is the Alabama cup. DD loved drinking from it. It has held up well, but I just hand washed it. She gave my DS a Salisbury Carolina cup. DS hasn't used it yet. She got both of them engraved. I love them! Good luck on shopping for the cup!

[sntm]

fwiw, i love drinking out of sterling cups. i have a sterling mint julep cup and you could put Coke in there and it will taste better! :+
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03