We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. Listings and prices come from our partners and change often. How we make money.
The Vesper is served in a deep champagne goblet. That is the glass James Bond asks for in Ian Fleming’s 1953 novel Casino Royale, before he names the drink after Vesper Lynd. Many modern recipes, including Difford’s Guide, use a martini glass instead. For a vintage match to the book, look for stemmed champagne glasses with a deep, rounded bowl.
This guide covers what Fleming asked for, how a champagne goblet differs from a coupe and a martini glass, and how to buy a vintage one in good condition. It is about the glass, not the drink.
What glass does Bond order the Vesper in?
In chapter 7 of Casino Royale, Bond orders a dry martini and specifies the glass before he gives the bartender his recipe. Wikipedia and Difford’s Guide both record the phrase: “a deep champagne goblet.” The Rake, the men’s style magazine, quotes the same line in its history of the drink.
Bond then names the drink in chapter 8, after Vesper Lynd, according to Difford’s Guide. The Vesper returned on screen in the 2006 film Casino Royale and again in Quantum of Solace (2008), Wikipedia notes.
Fleming never described the goblet in more detail. The word “deep” is the one clue, and it sets his glass apart from the shallow champagne saucer that was then common.
Champagne goblet vs coupe vs martini glass
The three shapes are easy to confuse in listings. Here is how sources describe each.
| Shape | Bowl | Typical capacity | Notes from sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coupe (champagne saucer) | Wide and shallow | About 180 to 240 ml (6.1 to 8.1 US fl oz) | Fashionable in the US from the 1930s to the 1980s, per Wikipedia |
| Martini (cocktail) glass | Inverted cone, V-shaped | About 3 to 10 US fl oz; older ones around 4 oz | Difford’s serves its Vesper in one |
| Deep champagne goblet | Rounded and deeper than a saucer | No standard size | Fleming’s choice; no fixed trade name |
The coupe is the glass most people picture for champagne in the mid-20th century. Wikipedia dates the shape to about 1663 and describes the flute and tulip as the other main champagne glasses. Dictionary.com defines a goblet simply as a drinking glass with a foot and stem, so “champagne goblet” is a description rather than a catalog term.
Vintage coupe glasses
Shop the range
Browse current vintage coupe glasses on eBay, pre-owned pieces, from $50.
Shop vintage coupe glassesOpens eBay in a new tab. Check condition, seller feedback and returns on the listing.
Which vintage glasses fit Fleming’s description?
Look for stemmed champagne glasses whose bowl is taller and rounder than a saucer. These turn up under several names, because each maker labeled its own stems. Depression and Elegant Glass points out that the exact stemware name depends on what the manufacturer called the item.
Fostoria, for example, sold a “champagne sherbet,” a goblet-shaped stem that combined a sherbet dish with a saucer champagne, according to the same source. Listings may also say tall sherbet, champagne, or saucer champagne for similar shapes.
The form is older than the cocktail. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds a pressed glass champagne glass by Bakewell, Pears and Company, made between 1850 and 1870, with a deep faceted bowl on a stem. It stands about 5 inches (12.9 cm) tall, and it is the glass in the photograph above.
When you shop, read past the title. A seller may list the same glass as a champagne, a sherbet, a coupe or a goblet.
Vintage crystal champagne goblets
Shop the range
Browse current vintage crystal champagne goblets on eBay, pre-owned pieces, from $50.
Shop vintage crystal champagne gobletsOpens eBay in a new tab. Check condition, seller feedback and returns on the listing.
How do you shop for a vintage champagne goblet?
Start with the set. A matching group of four or six glasses is easier to use and to resell than a mixed lot. Ask for photos of every glass held against the light, and close views of rims, stems and feet.
- Rims and stems. Run a finger around each rim for nicks. Stems can crack where they meet the bowl.
- Crystal claims. If a listing says crystal, look for a maker’s mark or label that supports it. Our guide to telling whether vintage glassware is valuable explains marks, weight and other clues.
- Capacity. Ask the seller to measure one glass with water if size matters to you. Wikipedia notes that older cocktail glasses held around 4 oz, far less than many modern ones.
- Cloudiness. Haze that does not wipe clean may not come out. See how to clean vintage barware and crystal before you buy a cloudy set.
Lead crystal goblets
If a vintage goblet is lead crystal, treat it as serving ware. Health Canada advises limiting lead crystalware to serving drinks, never storing them, and using it only from time to time. It adds that this is especially important for infants, children and pregnant people, and recommends washing lead crystal by hand.
A goblet used for a single drink at the table fits that advice better than a decanter used for storage. Our guide to whether lead crystal is safe to use sets out the official guidance in full.
Vintage martini glasses
Shop the range
Browse current vintage martini glasses on eBay, pre-owned pieces, from $50.
Shop vintage martini glassesOpens eBay in a new tab. Check condition, seller feedback and returns on the listing.
Related guides
For every other cocktail shape, from Nick and Nora to rocks, see our hub on vintage cocktail glasses by type. Bond’s instruction to shake the drink comes up again in vintage cocktail shakers, which explains cobbler, Boston and Parisian styles. Before you bid, read how to buy vintage barware on eBay safely.
Questions collectors ask
What glass is a Vesper martini served in?
In Ian Fleming's Casino Royale, Bond asks for it in a deep champagne goblet. Many modern recipes, including Difford's Guide, serve it in a martini glass instead. A coupe or a deep-bowled champagne glass is the closest match to the novel.
Is a champagne goblet the same as a coupe?
Not exactly. A coupe, or champagne saucer, has a wide, shallow bowl. Fleming asked for a deep goblet, which suggests a taller, rounder bowl than a saucer, though glassmakers never used one fixed name for that shape.
Why is it called a Vesper?
Bond names the drink after Vesper Lynd, a character he meets in the novel. According to Difford's Guide, he orders the drink in chapter 7 and meets Vesper in chapter 8.
Is it safe to drink from vintage lead crystal goblets?
Health Canada advises limiting lead crystalware to serving drinks, never storing them, and using it only from time to time. It says this matters most for infants, children and pregnant people. Our lead crystal guide covers the full advice.
What size is a vintage champagne coupe?
Wikipedia gives a typical coupe capacity of about 180 to 240 ml, or 6.1 to 8.1 US fl oz. Older glasses vary, so check the listed capacity or ask the seller to measure one.
Sources
- Vesper (cocktail)Wikipedia
- Vesper Dry MartiniDifford's Guide
- Mixing Elegance and Espionage: The Story Behind Bond's Vesper MartiniThe Rake
- Champagne glassWikipedia
- Cocktail glassWikipedia
- GobletDictionary.com
- Depression Glass Guide: Sherbets, Champagnes and Vintage StemwareDepression and Elegant Glass
- Champagne Glass, Bakewell, Pears and Company, 1850 to 1870 (accession 46.140.117)The Metropolitan Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lead crystalware and your healthHealth Canada
From our guide to Vintage Cocktail Glasses: Coupes, Nick and Nora, Martini and Rocks.