Sterling Silver Spirit Decanter
These sterling silver spirit decanters combine heavy glass vessels with gleaming metal mounts to serve spirits with traditional hospitality.
Sterling Silver Spirit Decanter
A sterling silver spirit decanter encompasses a range of drinking vessels, from full-sized crystal bottles to small whisky noggins and individual spirit flasks. The selections span periods from the Georgian and Regency eras through the Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Deco years up to the mid-century.
Whisky noggins and spirit jugs appear frequently on this page, often paired with matching silver labels denoting contents like brandy, sherry, rum, or madeira. Cut glass bottles fitted with silver collars and stoppers form the bulk of the larger drinking vessels available.
Collectors encounter smaller items such as individual decanter labels suspended on chains, alongside locking decanters designed to secure contents. The materials extend beyond clear crystal to include cranberry glass, green glass, enamel, and mother of pearl details.
Silver and Crystal Craft
Maker's hands combined sterling silver mounts, collars, and tops with heavy cut crystal and glass bodies, utilising techniques of glass-cutting, silversmithing, and hallmarking.
Collar mounts, hinged tops, and bottle tickets received punch marks from assay offices in London, Birmingham, and Glasgow, recording the standard of the metal and the year of manufacture.
Design and Proportion
Quality rests in the crispness of the glass cutting, the weight of the sterling silver mounts, and the balance of the proportions between metal and crystal.
Pieces bearing marks of established makers or complete sets of matching spirit labels command attention through their distinct design and preserved condition.
Tiffany·Digby Scott·Benjamin Smith·Hukin and Heath·Elizabeth Morley·Betjemann Brothers·William Sharp
The Sterling Silver Spirit Decanter Glossary
- Noggin
- A small drinking vessel or mug, typically holding a single measure of whisky and fitted with a sterling silver lip and handle.
- Decanter label
- A small silver tag hung by a chain around the neck of a bottle to identify the spirit within, such as rum, brandy, or gin.
- Glug glug decanter
- A vessel with a pinched or folded neck that creates a bubbling sound when pouring spirits.
- Sterling silver
- An alloy of silver containing ninety-two point five percent pure silver and seven point five percent other metals, usually copper.
- Hallmark
- A series of official marks stamped on items to show the metal standard, assay office, and year of testing.
Sterling Silver Spirit Decanter: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a whisky noggin?
A whisky noggin is a small individual decanter or jug, often holding a single serving, designed for personal use alongside a siphon or water jug.
These pieces typically feature a sterling silver rim or collar and a sturdy handle, making them practical for a bedside table or an evening tray.
How do I identify the date of a decanter?
Dating relies on the silver hallmarks stamped onto the mounts, collars, or decanter labels rather than the glass body itself.
Assay office symbols and date letters reveal the exact year the silver component was tested and registered.
What were spirit labels used for?
Spirit labels, or bottle tickets, identify the contents of decanters containing beverages like madeira, sherry, brandy, or gin.
Suspended by small chains around the bottle neck, they prevent confusion when serving multiple spirits from matching decanters.
How should I clean silver mounts?
Cleaning requires a soft cloth and a gentle silver polish applied carefully to avoid touching the surrounding glass or crystal.
Harsh abrasives should be kept away from both the hallmarked metal and any enamel or mother of pearl details.