Pair of Silver Coasters
A pair of silver coasters protects the dining table while holding the bottle in place.
Pair of Silver Coasters
A pair of silver coasters serves to slide wine and decanter bottles smoothly across the dining surface while guarding the polished wood from moisture and rings. These portable trays appear in circular forms designed to fit standard bottle bases securely.
The selections span from early Georgian silver and Old Sheffield Plate pieces to Edwardian silver-plated designs and mid-century sterling examples. The most common version met on this page combines a silver-mounted rim with a turned wooden base, typically mahogany or oak.
Makers utilised various metals and woods across different decades, producing both plain circular rims and heavily pierced or cast floral galleries. Buyers find items intended for standard wine bottles alongside larger magnum sizes and smaller individual glass coasters.
How they were made
Old Sheffield Plate pieces employ a thin sheet of sterling silver fused to a copper base, often showing the underlying copper at the cut edges or wear points. Solid sterling silver versions utilise standard hallmarking standards, while silver-plated alternatives apply a thin layer of silver over base metals.
Wooden bases in mahogany and oak are turned on a lathe and fitted tightly into the metal galleries, frequently secured with a central bronze or silver button underneath. Pierced galleries rely on hand-piercing and chased detailing to create openwork motifs like grapes and vines.
What varies in quality
The weight of the sterling silver or the thickness of the fused silver plate dictates the longevity and substance of the item. Thicker gauge metal resists denting along the raised gallery rim and maintains crispness in engraved armorial crests.
The joinery between the metal gallery and the turned wooden insert reflects the care taken by the silversmith or maker. Better examples exhibit tight, seamless fits with well-finished wooden bases displaying distinct grain patterns.
Hermes Paris·Asprey·Matthew Boulton·John and Thomas Settle·Mappin and Webb·Barker Ellis·J Parkes and Co·Hawksworth Eyre and Co·J B Chatterley and Sons·Garrard·Tiffany and Co·Bradbury
The Pair of Silver Coasters Glossary
- Old Sheffield Plate
- A composite material made by fusing a sheet of silver to a copper ingot, common in pieces from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This technique creates a distinctive edge where the copper base metal becomes visible.
- Gallery
- The upright outer rim of the coaster, often decorated with piercing, beadwork or cast floral motifs. It keeps the bottle contained while sliding across the table.
- Vermeil
- Sterling silver that has been plated with a thin layer of gold. This finish gives a warm, rich tone frequently seen in mid-century examples.
- Armorial
- A decorative crest or coat of arms engraved or applied to the silver surface. It denotes the lineage or family for whom the piece was originally commissioned.
- Reticulated
- A metalwork pattern featuring an openwork net or lattice design. This technique lightens the visual weight of the gallery.
Pair of Silver Coasters: Frequently Asked Questions
What were silver coasters used for?
These pieces served to circulate wine bottles around the dining table after the servants withdrew. Guests slid the trays from person to person to refill glasses without marking the polished mahogany.
They also caught condensation and drips from chilled white wine or decanted red wine. The raised rims kept the bottles stable while the table was in motion.
How do I identify Old Sheffield Plate?
Look closely at the rims and exposed edges for a thin reddish line where the copper core shows beneath the silver layer. This fusion method predates modern electroplating and feels heavier than standard plated wares.
Items from this period often lack standard hallmarks but carry maker marks or scratch marks left by the workshop.
Are these coasters suitable for modern bottles?
Most standard wine bottles fit comfortably within the diameter of nineteenth and twentieth-century examples. Magnum bottles and modern champagne shapes require larger specialised sizes found in the wider selection.
Measure the base of your preferred bottles before purchasing to ensure a proper fit inside the gallery.