Antique Argentina .800 Silver Yerba Mate Cup and Bombilla Straw. Marked 800 silver on base.

Size: 3 x 3 x 4 1/2 in. 8 in. Straw

Yerba mate cups, traditionally called mates or calabash gourds, are vessels used for drinking mate, a caffeinated herbal infusion popular in South America, particularly Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. Traditionally made from hollowed gourds, they may also be crafted from wood, metal, ceramic, or glass, often adorned with carvings, engravings, or decorative metalwork. The cup is paired with a bombilla, a metal straw with a filter at the bottom, which allows the drinker to sip the infusion without ingesting the herb leaves. Beyond their functional role, mate cups hold cultural significance as symbols of hospitality, social connection, and ritual, with shared drinking often forming an essential part of daily social life and community bonding.

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