Antique Wine Bottle Tag
These antique wine bottle tag options are small silver and ceramic identifiers that slip around decanter necks to name the drink within.
Antique Wine Bottle Tag
An antique wine bottle tag, also known as a decanter label or bin label, identifies the contents of glass vessels and cellar bins. The forms span the Georgian, Regency, William IV, and Victorian periods, alongside later twentieth-century pieces.
Most examples encountered here are formed as hanging labels suspended on fine silver chains, though ceramic and earthenware bin labels for wine cellars also appear. Silversmiths shaped these pieces into escutcheons, vine leaves, and simple rectangles to name spirits like port, sherry, claret, madeira, and rum.
How they were made
Sterling silver and solid silver dominate the metalwork, shaped through casting, piercing, and engraving to render scrolling vine leaves, crests, and titles. Silversmiths utilised hallmarks to stamp city origins, maker marks, and dates into the silver.
Earthenware, glazed earthenware, and creamware formed the body for ceramic bin labels, often featuring painted or printed text for cellar organisation. Enamel and silver gilt occasionally accent the metal pieces to highlight specific lettering or motifs.
Materials range from sterling silver and silver gilt to glazed earthenware, ceramic, and enamel.
What varies in quality
The clarity of the engraved lettering and the crispness of the chased or pierced decorative border define the standard of a silver label. Weight, gauge of silver, and the presence of matching original suspension chains elevate individual pieces.
Attribution to recorded makers and provincial assay offices distinguishes standard production items from workshop highlights. Ceramic bin labels rely on the preservation of the glaze and the legibility of the fired titles.
Elizabeth Morley·Tiffany·Digby Scott Benjamin Smith·John Reily·Thomas Wallis II·William Sharp·Peter And Anne Bateman
The Antique Wine Bottle Tag Glossary
- Decanter label
- A small hanging tag used to identify wine or spirits in a decanter. These items were hung by chains around the bottle neck.
- Bin label
- A tile or marker placed on a wine cellar bin to indicate the vintage and type of bottle stored within. They are often ceramic or earthenware.
- Hallmark
- A series of official marks stamped onto silver items to guarantee the metal standard, assay office, and year of production. They provide a reliable dating tool for antique pieces.
- Silver gilt
- Silver that has been coated with a thin layer of gold on the surface. This technique adds warmth and protects the underlying silver from tarnishing.
Antique Wine Bottle Tag: Frequently Asked Questions
How were antique wine bottle tags used?
These tags hung around the necks of glass decanters using thin silver chains to distinguish between dark red and white wines at the dining table.
Cellar bin versions sat separately on wooden shelving to mark the specific wine storage locations.
What materials are these labels made from?
The majority of pieces utilise sterling silver or solid silver, occasionally enhanced with enamel or silver gilt.
Earthenware, glazed ceramic, and creamware appear primarily among the bin labels designed for wine cellar organisation.
How do I date a silver wine label?
Assay office hallmarks stamped directly onto the silver surface provide the specific year of manufacture and the town where the piece was tested.
stylistic shifts from Georgian escutcheons to Victorian vine leaf motifs offer further chronological clues.
Are original chains usually included?
Many silver labels retain their matching silver suspension chains, though some survive independently.
Checking the attachment loop and chain links helps determine if the components share the same period.