The History and Collecting of Beermats Quiz

Answer: Tegestology

The name is derived, by some slightly contrived etymology, from the Latin word "teg", meaning a small rug or mat. Beermat collectors are thus known as "tegestologists".

Answer: 1892

The first woodpulp beermats were produced in Germany by Robert Sputh of Dresden, although cardboard mats had been manufactured in the 1880s by another German company, Friedrich Horn. In Germany, the collecting of beermats is a popular hobby, where they are known as bierdeckel.

Answer: Watneys

The first two Watneys mats advertised its Pale Ale and Reids Stout. Other important early UK producers of beermats included the breweries Tennants, Michells & Butlers, and Worthington.

Answer: 1960

The British Beermat Collectors Society (or BBCS) was the brainchild of an English collector named Charles Walsh, who in 1960 advertised in the magazine "Exchange and Mart" for other people who shared his interest. Although his initial intent was simply to find other collectors with whom to swap items, his initiative led to the founding of the Society.

Answer: Coventry

The first National meeting of the BBCS took place in 1963. Subsequent events have been held on an annual basis across the country, in such varied locations as Walsall, Wolverhampton, London, Skegness and Burton-on-Trent. Regular local meetings on a smaller scale take place in pubs and clubs all round the country.

Answer: Morecambe and Wise

Morecambe and Wise were succeeded as President of the BBCS by Alton Douglas, the rather less famous actor and comedian, also author of more than 50 historic and nostalgic books about his home town of Birmingham.

Answer: Hanging them from the ceiling

The BBCS notes that some tegestologists have been known to display their treasured collections by suspending them from the ceiling by string or cotton thread. However, the Society does not recommend this method, as the mats tend to become faded in natural daylight. A specially partitioned chest of drawers is the BBCS preferred storage solution.

Answer: Rub affected areas with moist bread

Rubbing them with moist bread, advises the BBCS, seems to draw the stains out. Warm soapy water can be used to clean rubberised felt mats, while "rubber mats can be lightly scrubbed".

Answer: Woodworm

Woodworm apparently are rather partial to beermats, which being usually made of woodpulp are softer and easier to eat than unprocessed wood.

Answer: False

Coating ones beermats in lacquer may seem to be a useful precaution against damp and other age-related depredations. But collectors who have tried this method have found to their dismay that their precious collectables have quite soon become faded and lost their colour.

Answer: 28,000

During the late 1970s, with the takeover and closure of many of the UK's independent breweries, the golden age of beermat production and collecting appeared to be over. But the "real ale" revival of the 1980s and 90s, and the even more recent explosion in the number of small microbreweries in the UK, means that the number and variety of mats available is greater than it has ever been.

Answer: Triangle

The Bass Red Triangle in 1876 became Britain's (and hence the world's) first official Registered Trademark. In Edouard Manet's famous 1882 painting "Bar at the Folies Bergere", bottles of Bass with the red triangle trademark can be seen on the bar, next to more typically French champagne.

Answer: The world's smallest beermat

The 25th Anniversary meeting of the BBCS was held at Dudley Town Hall on the 23rd and 24th of August 1985. The beermat measured about 2.5 cm square, and advertised the company's own beer. Some even smaller mats have been produced as part of furniture for dolls' houses, but most collectors don't officially include these in their collections.

Answer: World's largest beermat maker became bankrupt

The Katz Group of Germany declared itself bankrupt in April 2009, despite its Weisenbach factory making 75% of the world's beermats - more than 12 million per day. It had been manufacturing beermats since 1903.

Answer: Having the world's largest beermat collection

Leo Pisker of Langenzersdorf in Austria amassed a collection of over 150,000 different beermats from across the world, including examples from over 160 countries. For the record, as at 2009 the highest beermat tower measured 9.70 metres; the furthest throw was 125.5 feet (38.26 metres); and most mats "flipped" is 1000 in 45 seconds (in 25 piles of 40) by Dean Gould of Felixstowe in 1993.