Vintage Bottle Tag
These vintage bottle tags are small, precise silver and ceramic markers for naming spirits and wines, prized for their bright chains and period script.
Vintage Bottle Tag
When you search for vintage bottle tag, you encounter small hanging identifiers designed to slip around the neck of a decanter or cellar bin. They name specific contents like Port, Sherry, Claret, Madeira, Hock, Gin, Rum, and Brandy to keep the cellar organised.
The versions most common on this page span the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian periods, alongside mid-century pieces. They appear predominantly as silver labels, though glazed earthenware and creamware ceramic bin labels also feature among the selection.
What varies in quality
Quality rests upon the crispness of the pierced or engraved lettering and the depth of the metalwork, distinguishing simple stamped pieces from finely chased vine leaf designs. The presence of clear assay marks and matching maker stamps elevates a piece.
The survival of original suspension chains and the weight of the solid silver further divide standard productions from notable silversmith output.
Vintage Bottle Tag Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for vintage bottle tag among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Some silver vine leaf tags are so thoroughly disguised in foliage that finding the word Gin takes a careful hunt through the grapes.
William Barrett II·Elizabeth Morley·Thomas Wallis II·Mappin and Webb
The Vintage Bottle Tag Glossary
- Decanter label
- A small hanging tag, usually of silver, used to identify the contents of a decanter. They are sometimes known by collectors as bin labels or bottle tickets.
- Bin label
- A tile or plaque, often in glazed earthenware or creamware, placed in a wine cellar rack to mark a specific bin. They help organise storage by vintage and variety.
- Silver gilt
- Silver covered with a thin layer of gold on the surface. This technique adds a warm tone to vine leaf and grape motifs.
- Creamware
- A refined earthenware developed in the 18th century with a pale yellowish-cream glaze. It provides a smooth ground for black transfer-printed wine titles.
Vintage Bottle Tag: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I hang a bottle tag?
Most silver bottle tags suspend from a fine silver chain that loops easily around the slender neck of a glass decanter. The chain allows the tag to hang freely beneath the stopper.
Heavier ceramic bin labels do not use chains, instead sliding directly into fixed slots on wooden wine cellar racks.
How are different periods identified?
Georgian and Regency silver tags often display delicate Rococo Revival scrolling, pierced borders, and bright-cut engraving. Victorian and Edwardian examples lean towards heavier cast vine leaves and bolder lettering.
Assay office marks and maker stamps on the reverse provide definitive dates for silver pieces.
Can I polish antique silver tags?
Silver tags benefit from gentle cleaning with a soft cloth and mild silver polish to maintain their reflective shine. Avoid aggressive scrubbing that might wear down delicate hand-engraved titles.
Earthenware bin labels require only a damp cloth to clear dust from the glazed surface.