What is a cellarette?

A cellarette is a lockable container designed to hold bottles of wine and spirits in the dining room. These vessels kept valuable vintages secure and close at hand during long meals. Cabinet makers constructed them to match the prevailing furniture styles of the Georgian and Regency periods, often using mahogany and brass.

Servants filled the internal lead or zinc liners with ice and water to chill wine bottles before or during dinner service. The containers sat on the floor near the dining table for easy access. Over time, many of these vessels transitioned into general plant stands or decorative storage chests within period interiors.

Are the liners original?

Many surviving wine coolers retain their original lead or zinc linings, which show signs of historical wear from ice and water. Finding an intact liner remains a notable feature for collectors. Some pieces have had their internal metal linings replaced or removed entirely during later centuries of domestic use.

How to tell Regency from Georgian?

Georgian pieces often feature cleaner lines, oval or octagonal shapes, and sometimes brass banding reminiscent of Chippendale designs. They frequently rest on separate wooden stands. Regency examples tend to adopt bolder classical forms like the sarcophagus, incorporating heavier mouldings, paw feet, and architectural proportions influenced by Thomas Hope.