The Royal Finger Bowl

Above: The finger bowls for the fruit or dessert course, currently being used for royal dinners at Buckingham Palace.— These early 19th century bowls were originally known as ‘wine rinsers’ and, occasionally, ‘wine coolers’. They were designed to rinse one’s wine glass in between the serving of various wines at a multi-course, formal dinner. A rinser would be placed within reach of each diner, filled 1/4 to 1/3 of the way up the bowl, with the coldest water possible, for rinsing and/or cooling a glass. Like miniature Monteith bowls, the wine glass would be inverted into the water. The stem of the glass would rest there in the water, until the next wine was poured, hence the “lips” on either side for resting the stems of the glasses. Theses bowls are sitting upon small, cocktail-sized napkins, placed atop the plate for the dessert or fruit course, along with the utensils for the course. It is more common to see a doily accompanying the finger bowl, however the word “doily” once referred to any small piece of woven linen. In either case, these should not be used to wipe or dry one’s hands. They are merely “seats” for the finger bowls once they are moved from the plate to the table.

—Photo source, “For the Royal Table: Dining at the Palace”

It is said to be a point of etiquette that when a member of the royal family dines, only the royal guest is supplied with a finger-bowl. The origin of this custom is perhaps not generally known, and is both curious and interesting. In the early days of the present dynasty, it was a matter of doubt who was loyal, and, when the toast of “The King” was given, all the Jacobites, as a matter of conscience, secretly passed their glasses over any water that happened to be near generally the finger-bowl. This action signified that the person so doing drank his toast to“the King over the water” —the exiled Stuart. When this became known the Court made a decree that no water was to be within reach of any of the guests, and singularly enough this rule holds till to-day. — The Weekly Calistogan, 1902

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia