Pair of chocolate coco cups. New Spain or Guatemala, 18th century.Carved coconut and silver.Signs of wear and tear.Measurements: 13 x 10 cm .Pair of chocolate cups from the Viceroyalty of New Spain, with an ovoid coconut shell body whose surface has been entirely sgraffitoed with incised vegetal decoration and birds. Decorated with garnishes (handles, mouthpieces and feet) in chiselled and embossed silver. The coco-chocolatero is a sumptuary object that was used to serve small quantities of beverages, including chocolate. It was used during the 17th to 19th centuries and was made from the bark of the coconut, hence its name. Its production during the Viceroyalty period was made possible by the fact that coconut palms, native to the Pacific islands, became acclimatised elsewhere. The hard bark of the fruit was cleaned and carved until polished, then sgraffitoed with a burin or gouge, decorated with profuse geometric plant forms and mounted on elaborate burnished silver work. The process was carried out in two stages: first the coconut was carved and decorated with applications of metals, shell and semi-precious stones, then it was set in silver, forming a pedestal. These objects were made in America and different parts of Europe, including Germany, Spain and France.