Antique Bottle Tag
These antique bottle tag pieces are small silver and ceramic markers for identifying decanted spirits, offering period charm for your dining table.
Antique Bottle Tag
When you search for an antique bottle tag, you encounter small hanging identifiers and cellar markers designed to designate specific spirits and wines. These pieces originate predominantly from the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian periods, stretching into the mid twentieth century.
The objects take several distinct forms, most commonly hanging decanter labels shaped as escutcheons, vine leaves, or simple rectangles suspended by chains. You also encounter earthenware and glazed ceramic cellar bin labels used to mark wine bins in large houses.
The names stamped or pierced onto these tags include traditional spirits and wines like sherry, port, claret, Madeira, rum, gin, hock, brandy, and whisky, alongside less common titles such as cayenne.
Silverwork and ceramics
Silversmiths produced the metal examples in sterling silver, solid silver, and silver gilt, often shaping them through piercing, stamping, or embossing. Makers applied detailed ornamentation such as vine leaves and dragon motifs, sometimes pairing the silver with enamel.
Makers fashioned the cellar bin labels from earthenware, creamware, and glazed ceramic, applying bold lettering to withstand damp cellar conditions.
Antique Bottle Tag Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for bottle tag among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
One unusual silver ticket explicitly names cayenne, proving our ancestors insisted on proper labeling for their spice as well as their sherry.
Subtleties of silversmithing
Quality rests upon the crispness of the piercing, the depth of the maker's marks, and the elegance of the lettering engraved or cut into the silver. Pieces bearing the marks of known silversmiths command greater attention from collectors.
The presence of original suspension chains and the condition of the enamel or silver gilt finish elevate individual pieces above standard utilitarian examples.
William Barrett II·Elizabeth Morley·John Reily·Thomas Wallis II·Peter and Anne Bateman
The Antique Bottle Tag Glossary
- Escutcheon
- A shield shaped silver plate commonly used for decanter labels during the Georgian period.
- Bin label
- A ceramic or earthenware marker placed in a wine cellar to identify specific vintages or bin contents.
- Silver gilt
- Silver covered with a thin layer of gold, providing a rich yellow finish seen on certain vine leaf labels.
- Decanter label
- A small metal tag hung around the neck of a decanter to name the beverage inside.
- Maker's mark
- A stamped punch on silver indicating the silversmith or workshop responsible for the piece.
Antique Bottle Tag: Frequently Asked Questions
How were bottle tags used?
They hung around the necks of decanters using small silver chains to distinguish between ports, sherries, and clarets.
Ceramic versions were slotted into wine bins to keep track of stored bottles.
How do I care for silver bottle tags?
Silver tags require gentle cleaning with a soft cloth to preserve the engraved details and maker's marks.
Avoid harsh chemical dips, especially on pieces featuring enamel or gilding.
Are bottle tags marked with dates?
Many silver examples feature hallmarks indicating the assay office and the year of manufacture.
Provincial and maker marks help trace the origin of the piece.