Georgian Silver Label
These pieces of georgian silver label work are small, pierced or engraved metal tags hung around the neck of a decanter to name the contents.
Georgian Silver Label
A georgian silver label identifies bottle contents such as sherry, port, claret, madeira, rum, gin, brandy, whisky, hock, moselle, bucellas, hermitage, white port, bronte, cayenne, orange, chili, anchovy, or vinegar.
Most examples found here belong to the Georgian and Regency periods, stretching into the William IV and early Victorian eras, shaped as escutcheons, vine leaves, or rectangular tickets.
Makers fashioned them both in London and through provincial workshops in Scotland and English regional centres, applying pierced ornament, bright-cut engraving, or cast motifs.
How They Were Made
Silversmiths utilised sterling silver and solid silver, occasionally applying silver gilt to achieve a dual-tone surface.
Construction involved piercing sheet metal with saws, stamping designs with steel dies, or casting heavier forms like vine leaves and escutcheons before hand-engraving the beverage names.
Object forms on this page include decanter labels, bottle tickets, barware accessories, and sauce labels.
What Varies in Quality
The distinction between standard output and finer work lies in the crispness of the piercing, the depth of the hand-engraving, and the weight of the silver used.
Output by documented silversmiths or regional Scottish provincial makers commands greater interest due to the distinct punch marks and regional design variations.
Elizabeth Morley·John Reily·Thomas Wallis II·Peter And Anne Bateman·Phipps And Robinson·Hester Bateman·William Sharp·Charles Rawling·Ledsam Vale And Wheeler·George McHattie·Susannah Barker
The Georgian Silver Label Glossary
- Escutcheon
- A shield-shaped plaque used frequently for decanter labels. This form provides a central field for naming the wine.
- Bright-cut engraving
- A faceted engraving technique using a V-shaped graving tool to cut bright, angular trenches into the silver surface. It catches the candle or lamp light effectively.
- Silver gilt
- Sterling silver that has been coated with a thin layer of gold through a chemical or fire-gilding process. This imparts a warm, golden tone to the metal.
- Bottle ticket
- An alternative contemporary term for a decanter label or wine label. These items hang from decanter necks by chains or collars.
- Provincial mark
- A hallmark applied outside of the main assay offices such as London, indicating production in regional English towns or Scottish burghs like Edinburgh, Peterhead, or Glasgow.
Georgian Silver Label: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a georgian silver label?
A georgian silver label is a small piece of silverware designed to hang around the neck of a decanter or bottle.
Its purpose is to identify the specific wine, spirit, or sauce contained within the vessel.
How were these labels attached?
Silversmiths equipped these items with matching silver chains, links, or rigid collars that slipped over the neck of the glass decanter.
This allowed the tag to dangle freely just below the stopper.
What drinks are named on them?
The inscriptions cover fortified and table wines such as sherry, port, claret, madeira, hock, moselle, and bucellas.
Other labels designate spirits like rum, gin, brandy, and whisky, alongside rarer condiment tags for cayenne, vinegar, and anchovy.
How do I identify the period?
Dating relies upon the style of the chasing and lettering, alongside stamped hallmarks on the reverse or rim.
These marks typically show the maker's initials, the lion passant for sterling silver, and a date letter corresponding to the assay office year.