Antique Wine Box
An antique wine box secures bottles and carafes with timber, brass, and lead lining.
Antique Wine Box
An antique wine box encompasses cellarettes, wine coolers, and spirits boxes designed to store bottles safely in dining rooms. Pieces span the 18th century, Regency, and Victorian eras, often taking octagonal, sarcophagus, or oval shapes.
The most common examples on this page are mahogany cellarettes from the Georgian and Regency periods. These range from octagonal brass-bound boxes to sarcophagus forms resting on stands or feet.
Quality factors
The distinction between tiers rests on timber selection and the retention of original components. Figure in the mahogany, crispness of boxwood inlay, and surviving original lead liners elevate a piece above standard utility examples.
Proportion and architectural detail dictate standing within the range. Boxes retaining original stands, mounts, and castors command greater attention than altered or married pieces.
Antique Wine Box Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for wine box 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.
Listings feature mahogany, satinwood, pollard oak, and padouk, spanning the 18th century to the Edwardian period.
Edwards and Roberts·Gillingtons
The Antique Wine Box Glossary
- Cellarette
- A lockable box or chest used for storing wine and spirits in the dining room. They often sat beneath sideboard tables or stood on their own legs.
- Sarcophagus
- A monumental tomb-like shape with a pitched lid, popular for Regency wine coolers and large cellarettes. This design allowed ample interior space for bottles and ice.
- Flame mahogany
- Timber cut to reveal a wavy, fire-like grain pattern. Cabinetmakers reserved this decorative veneer for the primary visible surfaces of fine boxes.
- Brass-bound
- Constructed with structural brass bands encircling the wooden body. This technique reinforced heavy containers and added decorative contrast to the dark timber.
Antique Wine Box: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an antique wine box?
An antique wine box is a specialised timber container built to hold wine bottles, decanters, or spirits securely in dining spaces.
These pieces range from small tabletop presentation cases to large floor-standing cellarettes lined with lead for ice.
How were they used historically?
Servants kept these boxes filled with bottles and ice near the dining table during formal meals.
Guests selected their drinks directly from the container while dining, eliminating the need to travel constantly to the cellar.
How do I date a wine box?
Dating relies on observing timber choices, hardware styles, and structural forms across periods like the Georgian and Regency eras.
Earlier pieces often feature simple mahogany and brass bands, while later Regency examples lean towards sarcophagus shapes and ornate veneers.
Where should I place one?
These boxes function effectively as side tables, drinks cabinets, or sculptural storage pieces in modern dining rooms and living spaces.
The sturdy flat tops provide practical surfaces for serving trays or lamps.