Hello, thank you for reading. I have been given these absolutely beautiful old glass drinks containers from a cocktail bar my great-uncle used to run back in the 70s. I don't know he came to come by them, but apparently they were in his basement for a decades. They have passed through the family and I recently took a liking to them, and so they were offered to me.

I don't know much about them, but I think they are soda syphons, whatever they are. I don't really know how you would charge them so the soda squirts out when you pull the lever. But that's what I was told. Maybe if you know about soda syphons you could tell me how they work?

I was also told they were real silver and are actually coated in something to prevent them from tarnishing. I can actually see where the lacquer is rubbing away a little.

Whatever they are, I think they are absolutely beautiful and hopefully will make an amazing talking point. I really want to try and decorate my living room. I love the classical, romantic styles from the past. I think they would make a great accent pieces, the blue colour is really pretty.

But I am not really sure that to do when them. They are very dirty and clearly have not been used in decades. I am wondering if I should totally clean them all up so they look brand new or leave them with their used patina look?

They are such beautiful things, I would really love to get them working and use them for drinks. But I am not sure how hygienic that would be or if it is even possible.

It would be a shame to just sell them, someone already offered me some money for them. Not much, so I don't think they are actually worth that much. Does anyone have any good ideas what I can do with these antique soda siphons?

Maybe I should start learning about cocktails.

Julie