A sought-after and expensive souvenir: why Americans are hunting for Russian coasters

If you ask an American what to bring as a gift from the post-Soviet countries, you can hear an unexpected answer - an iron cup holder. author blog "50 shades of New York" on Yandex.Zen She said that this is a rather sought-after and expensive souvenir in the USA.

Photo: Shutterstock

“Tea in a glass, an iron cup holder, the sound of wheels on rails - that in no time creates a special atmosphere for a train passenger. It turns out that even Americans dream of this romance, but, alas, there are no coasters in the United States, ”the blogger writes.

In Russia and other post-Soviet countries, such cup holders are a normal occurrence. In the old days, they could be found everywhere, even at home almost everyone had them.

“Now you can buy cup holders on the train as a souvenir or drink tea with them during the trip. As an option - buy at a flea market. In general, you will not surprise a Russian person with this, but foreigners are another matter, the author notes. - Americans choose airplanes to move around the country. And if there is a journey by train, then it lasts a couple of hours, and no one drinks tea there. Therefore, for the inhabitants of the New World, coasters for glasses are an unusual curiosity.

On the subject: They are afraid to make mistakes and do not know how to reason: Russian students through the eyes of a professor from the USA

By the way, locals call this device podstakannik. Americans hunt for them on the Internet, look in antique stores, and some even try to make them themselves.

Americans value them for their convenience, beauty, and nostalgic memories of traveling around Russia. Those who have never been to Russia have heard about the legendary coasters - they are the same symbol as, for example, matryoshka and felt boots.

“On the Internet, I found iron coasters for glasses on Amazon and Etsy. The cost starts from $27, a gold-plated device with the coat of arms of Russia costs from $99. And all this does not include shipping, which is about $20. By the way, on a Russian train, this table accessory costs from 500 to 1500 rubles, that is, $7-$20, the blogger writes. - Having studied the pricing policy, I understood why a friend asked to bring it from Russia. Our coasters are made of different materials - cupronickel, brass, copper, silver, aluminum. The products of the Kolchuginsky plant in the Vladimir region are in the greatest demand. This is the largest production of coasters in Russia, which has been operating since the XNUMXth century.”

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

If you read comments about cup holders on the Internet, then, surprisingly, Americans speak warmly about them. Some write that they are satisfied with their purchase - the glass holders are durable and pleasant to the touch. Others compare them to a work of art.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Lenovo, Samsung, Maybelline: how a Ukrainian woman in California creates advertising for famous brands

No bribes and no personal talk: how an immigrant can succeed in the USA

A nugget from Mogilev: how a Jew from Belarus who does not know notes created the US anthem

Personal experience: what you need to know in order not to get into an awkward position in America

Capital increase by 1000% in a year: a woman from Russia became the most successful billionaire in the world

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.