VINTAGE ATAX FRANCO ITALIA GUIDONS PHILIPEI 42 HANDLEBARS 1" 100 QUILL STEM

I have a French bar/stem set in really good low miles condition.  I bought a bicycle from a neighbor who did his junior year abroad at Le Sorbonne in the mid 80s and raced circuit races in Paris.  When I unwrapped the bars and saw the wine corks, I asked my neighbor, but he never knew they were there.  I'm really not sure what it is meant to achieve, but I've seen it done with other continental bikes also.  (Vibration damping?)  42cm c-c.  Ask any and all questions.