Antique Wine Tag
These antique wine tag examples identify the bottle or decanter resting on the sideboard, crafted primarily in sterling silver and ceramic.
Antique Wine Tag
An antique wine tag, also known as a decanter label or cellar bin label, hangs from the neck of a bottle or decanter to name the contents within. The items seen on this page span Georgian, Regency, William IV, and Victorian periods, alongside later twentieth-century pieces.
The most common forms on this page are silver decanter labels bearing names such as Sherry, Port, Claret, Madeira, and Hock. Ceramic and glazed earthenware bin labels also appear, designed to slide into cellar bins to organise stored bottles.
Origins range from traditional British workshops to Scottish provincial makers, Chinese export silver, and Tiffany pieces. Collectors encounter individual tags as well as matching sets hung on silver chains.
Materials and construction
Silversmiths formed these pieces using sterling silver and solid silver, sometimes applying silver gilt or enamel details. Techniques include piercing, stamping, and engraving to render titles and decorative motifs such as vine leaves and escutcheon shapes.
Non-silver examples utilise glazed earthenware, creamware, and ceramic materials suited for wine cellar bin labels. These are often moulded or painted with specific bin titles for identification.
Antique Wine Tag Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for wine 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.
A dragon bottle tag brings an unexpected Chinese export twist to the traditional British sideboard.
Judging the work
Quality rests in the crispness of the punch work, the depth of the engraving, and the preservation of the original suspension chain. Pieces bearing clear hallmarks from recognised silversmiths command greater attention from collectors.
The distinction between standard production and superior work lies in the modelling of details, such as vine leaf borders or pierced lettering, and whether individual labels form a matching set.
William Barrett II·Elizabeth Morley·John Reily·Thomas Wallis II·Peter And Anne Bateman·Mappin And Webb
The Antique Wine Tag Glossary
- Decanter label
- A small pendant hung around the neck of a decanter to identify the liquor inside. These items are frequently styled as escutcheons, vine leaves, or rectangular plaques.
- Bin label
- A tile or tag placed in a wine cellar to mark the location of specific bins and vintages. Ceramic and earthenware versions are typical for this task.
- Escutcheon
- A shield-shaped plate used as a ground for engraving names or crests. This shape is common among Georgian silver tags.
- Silver gilt
- Silver covered with a thin layer of gold on the surface. This technique adds a warm tone to specific Victorian vine leaf labels.
- Scottish provincial
- Silverware made and marked outside the main assay offices of Edinburgh or Glasgow. These pieces carry town marks unique to smaller Scottish burghs.
Antique Wine Tag: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an antique wine tag used for?
These pieces identify the specific wine, spirit, or fortified wine contained within a decanter or bottle. They hang from chains around the neck of glassware to prevent any confusion at the dining table.
In cellar settings, similar ceramic markers functioned as bin labels to track stored vintages.
How do I date a silver decanter label?
Dating relies heavily on the hallmarks stamped into the silver, which record the assay office, date letter, and maker's mark. Stylistic clues such as Regency escutcheon shapes or Victorian vine leaf motifs also help narrow the period.
Provincial and early Georgian pieces often display simpler punch marks rather than full date stamps.
Were these tags made in sets?
Silversmiths produced both individual pieces and matching sets designed to cover a range of drinks like Port, Sherry, and Claret. Sets often shared identical chains and decorative borders to maintain uniformity on the sideboard.
Finding a complete set remains a notable discovery for collectors.
What is the difference between a decanter label and a bin label?
Decanter labels are pendant tags meant to hang from glassware during service using a silver chain or ring. Bin labels are flat ceramic or earthenware markers meant to stay fixed in a wine cellar racking system.
Both serve to identify the beverage but occupy entirely different environments.