The lavish paraphenalia of the coffeehouse--the refreshment bar, the earthenware pitchers, the cauldrons, the tobacco and long clay pipes, the advertising bills, and the newspapers were a part of the coffeehouse setting. The coffee cups, called "dishes" were significant among these accoutrements, and clearly resembled bowls or deep convex saucers.

Anonymous Interior of a London Coffeehouse, ca. 1700. From Pim Reinders, Thera Wijsenbeek et al. Koffie in Nederland: Viereeuwen culturgeschiendenis,. (Zutphen: Walberg Pers; Deft: Gemeente Musea Delft, 1994), 58.

As can be seen above, these dishes were held in the palm of the hand, regardless of the heat of liquid, and were brought directly to the mouth. Even the serving boy poured the liquid into the "dish" without the aid of handles to insulate the hand from the heat.