Regency Silver Wine Coasters
Regency silver wine coasters are round table accessories designed to protect dining surfaces while serving bottles.
Regency Silver Wine Coasters
Regency silver wine coasters are table accessories designed to hold bottles and decanters safely on the dining table. These pieces emerge primarily from the Georgian and Regency periods, dating through the nineteenth century.
Most examples found here take the form of wine coasters or decanter coasters, often appearing as pairs or sets. The forms span from standard round bottle holders to larger stands and trolleys.
Originating in workshops across Sheffield and other centres, these items reflect the dining customs of their era. Buyers encounter solid sterling silver alongside Old Sheffield Plate.
Materials and construction
Old Sheffield Plate involved fusing a thin layer of silver to a copper core, creating durable vessels with rich metallic lustre. Turned wood provided a stable, weighted foundation inside the metal gallery.
Listings feature items from the 19th Century, Georgian, and Regency periods, utilising silver plate, copper, mahogany, and turned wood.
Quality factors
The distinction between standard examples and finer pieces lies in the crispness of the chased or pierced ornamentation along the gallery. Superior items display sharp detailing in armorial engravings and floral motifs.
The integration of the wooden base with the metal rim dictates the structural integrity of the piece. Heavier gauge metal and well-turned mahogany indicate superior workshop execution.
Matthew Boulton·John and Thomas Settle
The Regency Silver Wine Coasters Glossary
- Old Sheffield Plate
- A composite material made by fusing silver to a copper base, typical of nineteenth-century production. This technique predates modern electroplating.
- Gallery
- The decorative pierced or solid wall surrounding the perimeter of the coaster. It prevents the bottle from sliding off the wood base.
- Decanter trolley
- A wheeled carriage designed to roll port or wine around the dining table. These frames hold one or more coasters.
- Armorial
- A crest or coat of arms engraved onto the silver or plate. Such heraldry denotes the original owning family.
Regency Silver Wine Coasters: Frequently Asked Questions
What are regency silver wine coasters?
Regency silver wine coasters are small circular trays designed to hold wine bottles and decanters on the dining table. They protect polished wood surfaces from moisture rings and scratches.
These accessories date from the Georgian and Regency periods, utilising materials such as sterling silver, Old Sheffield Plate, and turned mahogany bases.
How were they used on the table?
Hosts placed bottles inside these coasters to slide them smoothly across the mahogany dining table after dinner. This practice allowed guests to pass the wine without lifting heavy decanters.
Trolleys sometimes carried multiple bottles around the table on small wheels during grand nineteenth-century dinners.
How do I identify old sheffield plate?
Old Sheffield Plate reveals a thin layer of silver fused over a copper base, sometimes showing faint copper edges where wear occurs. This technique differs visibly from modern electroplate.
Pieces from this era often carry marks or display the heavier weight characteristic of fused metal construction.
Why do some coasters have wooden bases?
Turned wood inserts, frequently made of mahogany, provided a sturdy, weighted floor to support heavy glass decanters. The wood also protected the glass base from clattering against metal.
Craftsmen secured the wooden disc inside the silver or plated gallery to complete the structure.