Wooden Mug Tree or Cup Drying Stand

About this piece

Wooden Mug Tree or Cup Drying Stand — turned stand that hangs six cups. Made by hand from sheesham (rosewood) and plainly polished, in the Sillanwali Handicrafts workshop in Sillanwali, Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan. It measures 12 in tall. It costs PKR 850. It is ready to ship and delivered within 3 to 4 days anywhere in Pakistan, paid in cash on delivery.

A turned wooden stand with pegs set around a central post, holding six cups by the handle and keeping them off the counter. Twelve inches tall. Base and post are turned separately on the khraad and thread together, so the stand comes apart flat for a cupboard or a suitcase rather than having to be stored assembled. The pegs are angled slightly upward, which is what stops a cup walking off when the counter is knocked. Sheesham is dense enough that the base holds six full-size mugs without the whole thing becoming top-heavy. Hung by the handle rather than stacked, cups drain and dry properly instead of holding a ring of water in the base, and a run of counter that was taken up by six upturned mugs goes back to being usable. The cups in the photograph are not included. Made in Sillanwali, Sargodha, and turned individually, so grain and colour vary between stands. Wash by hand in warm water and dry it straight away rather than leaving it to soak, and rub in a little food-safe oil now and then. Never put it in a dishwasher. A name can be engraved on the base, which makes it a common housewarming gift.

Every piece is made by hand, so the wood grain, carving and colour vary a little from the photo. That variation is normal and is what makes each one its own.