What is a regency period cellarette?

A regency period cellarette is a specialised wooden container used during the early nineteenth century to cool and store wine bottles within the dining room. These pieces typically feature lidded boxes or sarcophagus shapes, often lined with lead or zinc to hold ice alongside the glassware.

How were cellarettes used?

Servants filled the internal metal compartments with ice and water to chill wine before serving it to guests during formal meals. They stood beneath sideboards or in room corners, keeping the bottles secure and accessible without requiring trips to the cellar.

What timber is most common?

Mahogany is the primary wood found across these listings, frequently utilised in its figured flame variety to create dramatic visual movement on the exterior. Cabinetmakers also worked in pollard oak, burr elm, padouk, and walnut, sometimes adding boxwood inlay for contrast.

How do I spot an original liner?

Original metal liners are constructed from heavy sheet lead or zinc, often fitted with internal divisions to keep bottles separated from melting ice. Because moisture caused decay over decades, many examples have lost their original linings or received modern replacements.