Stub Stackable Glasses have been gracing tabletops for almost 70 years. The designers of these innovative glasses didn’t set out to create an award-winning, modern interpretation of drinkware. They simply wanted to make a better glass.
An object can transcend time when a designer is willing to take a risk and push the limits of what is currently in fashion. When it comes to practical, everyday items, attractiveness is a by-product of exceptional design. Grethe Meyer, one of the designers of the Stub Glasses, puts it best, “they should be straightforward, easy, and pleasant to use and as simple and anonymous as possible. From these characteristics, I think, beauty can arise.”
The Stub Glassware collection is a classic case of functional product improvement turned timeless design. For 70 years, these glasses have been a part of celebrations and daily meals across the globe. They bring a rich history of award-winning Danish design to the Unison catalog.
Get to Know the Stub Glasses
The Stub Stackable Glasses serve understated sophistication to your favorite drinks and desserts. They’re a stunning example of mid-century Scandinavian design that still feels exciting today. These glasses are available in three sizes, each with a variety of uses.
The Low Glasses are designed for sipping champagne, but they’re not just for celebrations. Use one as a dessert bowl whenever you satisfy your sweet tooth. A scoop of ice cream or a decadent chocolate pastry is even more appealing served in this exquisite champagne glass. Each set includes four stackable glasses. Their low profile takes up minimal cupboard space and makes them easy to store.
Pour an ale or lager into one of the Tall Glasses to enjoy the sight of its bubbly texture and rich amber hue. Each one has a capacity of just over twelve ounces, so your favorite brew has a new favorite glass. Stay hydrated and use these glasses as still or sparkling water goblets during dinner parties. The Tall Glasses are stackable and come in a set of two.
The most versatile glasses in the collection are the Medium Glasses. Their short stem and wide bowl offer handmade cocktails a little something extra. Enjoy fresh juice in the morning or wine with dinner. Like the others, these glasses are easy to clean and store. Each set comes with four stackable glasses.
Crafted in Denmark, these glasses come packaged in a stylish cylinder. Thanks to the thoughtful presentation they make a great gift for any modern-design lover. Keep a few sets on hand and you’ll always have the perfect holiday, host, or housewarming gift at the ready. Every Stub Glass is stackable and takes up minimal cupboard space. Plus they’re dishwasher safe, so there’s no reason to not use them every day — which is exactly what the designers had in mind 70 years ago.
Changing Dinner Rituals
The way we eat dinner has changed a lot since the 1950s. At the start of the decade it was a formal affair, but as time passed many families began to adopt more casual mealtime rituals. Weekday meals were eaten in the kitchen, while the dining room was reserved for Saturday evening dinner parties. Fancy china was replaced with practical, easy to clean dinnerware.
The designers of the Stub Glass wanted to create a glassware collection that could be used at formal dinners and casual meals alike. High-quality, carefully crafted stemware that was ultra usable and elevated the dining experience. Most drinking glasses are designed that way today, but back in the 1950s, it was up to two Danish women to push the industry forward.
Remarkable Danish Design
Denmark has contributed much to the Scandinavian design movement that began in the 1950s. This distinctive style emphasizes clean lines, minimalism and beautiful functionality. Because of the simple nature of Scandinavian design, most of what was created back then still feels current and ageless in our modern world. Grethe Meyer and Ibi Trier Mørch are architects and the designers of the Stub Glasses. This collaboration inspired many other glassware designers to embrace usability and versatility as pillars of their own work. Casual, multifunctional glassware was relatively unheard of in the 1950s. The low stem, straight sides and stackability of the Stub Glasses were revolutionary back then, yet still feel fresh and current today.
With an affinity for classic, simple and functional designs, Grethe Meyer has left a lasting legacy on Scandinavian Design. She is considered one of the pioneers of Danish industrial design. She also designed ceramics in addition to glassware and focused her work on serving her customers. A drive to create high-quality items that everyone could afford is built into everything she created.
In 1997 she won the Danish Design Award Council’s annual prize and shared a poetic take on her design process. “Mostly I meet new tasks by trying to build on earlier inspirations and ideals, improving them, and where needed, bringing their qualities up to date, while preserving, what I think is important, namely that the design must be uncomplicated, and the product easy and comfortable to use, and as simple and anonymous as possible in the expression of its properties.” She continued, “In this way, I think that beauty will present itself, – a beauty that gives the people who are using the product a natural pleasure, a pleasure that preferably grows stronger the more the product is used.”
The Stub Glasses were a beauty 70 years ago and continue to shine today. In 2019, the collection was nominated for a Design Award under the category “Comeback of The Year.” As its creator foreshadowed, this collection has brought pleasure to many and continues to grow stronger year after year.