Antique Wine Labels and Bin Labels

Despite wine bottles being made to a standard capacity by being blown in a mould as early as 1821, it was illegal to sell wine by the bottle for another 40 years.  When it did happen it caused the introduction of paper labels on bottles, but previously a way had to be found to identify wine bottle contents.

It was achieved by putting all wine from one barrel, or from one consignment, in a compartment in the cellar, called a bin.  To identify the contents of a bin, a pottery (usually) label was hung on the cellar wall adjacent to the bin.  Sometimes in large houses and under commercial circumstances, a bin would be identified with a number and a cellar book kept to correlate the numbers with the wines.

When the bottle was taken to the dining room and decanted, the decanter contents were also identified by a label, but now it was a small silver (usually) ticket, known today as a wine label.

Wine lables are avidly collected, and we keep a fine selection.  We place emphasis on high quality and good condition over rarity of name.  We would prefer to have a label for Madeira (the commonest of names) heavily cast in silver and gilded by a royal silversmith, than a lightweight label with a mis-spelt name made in a Scottish provincial town - although the latter might cost several times as much.   However we do have rarities as well, from time to time.

9571 A pottery bin lable for PORT

9571 A pottery bin lable for PORT

This bin label for Port is the 'square coathanger' type, and has a up-raised suspension... Date: c.1820

Price: UK customers £130, US customers $180

9573 A pottery bin label for 'PORT'

9573 A pottery bin label for 'PORT'

This bin label for port has black lettering against a bluey-white glazed ground. The glaze... Date: c.1840

Price: UK customers £130, US customers $180

9674 A Silver Initial Wine Label for S

9674 A Silver Initial Wine Label for S

This small silver wine label is a type known as postage stamp because it is... Date: 1840

Price: UK customers £95, US customers $135

9758 An Early Cartouche-shape Wine Label for MADEIRA

9758 An Early Cartouche-shape Wine Label for MADEIRA

This is an early example of a silver wine label. It is a well-known pattern... Date: c.1745

Price: UK customers £385, US customers $540

9763 A Magnificent Silver Gilt Wine Label for SHERRY

9763 A Magnificent Silver Gilt Wine Label for SHERRY

This is a really fine wine label made in 1806 by Digby Scott and Benjamin... Date: 1806

Price: UK customers £2,950, US customers $4,130

9775 An Enamel Wine Label for Claret

9775 An Enamel Wine Label for Claret

Enamel wine labels are a rarity and this is a pretty example for CLARET. It... Date: 1890

Price: UK customers £425, US customers $595

9785 A fine  and Rare Enamel Wine Label for MALAGA

9785 A fine and Rare Enamel Wine Label for MALAGA

This is a good example of a rare form of English wine label which is... Date: c.1760

Price: UK customers £1,150, US customers $1,610

9807 An Impressive Enamel Wine Label for PORT

9807 An Impressive Enamel Wine Label for PORT

This is a fine enamel wine label for port. The label is decorated with sprays... Date: 1748-1753

Price: UK customers £850, US customers $1,190

9830 A Pottery Bin Label for MADEIRA

9830 A Pottery Bin Label for MADEIRA

This is a standard 'coathanger' shaped bin label, and the back is clearly impressed WEDGWOOD.... Date: c.1880

Price: UK customers £140, US customers $195

9856 A Silver Plated Ring Wine Label for SHERRY

9856 A Silver Plated Ring Wine Label for SHERRY

As an 'entry-level' wine antique, this has to be a real winner! The label is the... Date: c.1860

Sold

9872 An Important Silver Gilt Wine Label for HOCK

9872 An Important Silver Gilt Wine Label for HOCK

This is among the grandest of English wine labels. It is formed as a leopard's... Date: 1833

Price: UK customers £1,650, US customers $2,310

9873 A Large Shaped Crescent Wine Label for Claret

9873 A Large Shaped Crescent Wine Label for Claret

This is an unusual variety of the crescent shape of wine label which was popular... Date: 1822

Price: UK customers £675, US customers $945

9874  A Cast Silver Wine Label for SHERRY

9874 A Cast Silver Wine Label for SHERRY

This is a fine quality cast silver wine label for SHERRY. At this date, 1867... Date: 1867

Price: UK customers £295, US customers $415

9875 A Plain Silver Escutcheon Wine Label for SHERRY

9875 A Plain Silver Escutcheon Wine Label for SHERRY

This shape of wine label is known by collectors as an escutcheon. It was among... Date: 1822

Price: UK customers £195, US customers $275

9876 A Small Cast Silver Wine Label for HOCK

9876 A Small Cast Silver Wine Label for HOCK

This an attractive wine label of relatively small size for a cast label. It is... Date: c.1835

Price: UK customers £165, US customers $230

9877 An Oblong Wine Label with Reeded Edge for SAUTERNE

9877 An Oblong Wine Label with Reeded Edge for SAUTERNE

This is a pretty wine label of a type which remained popular for several decades... Date: 1827

Price: UK customers £210, US customers $295

9879 An Oblong SIlver Wine Label for CLARET

9879 An Oblong SIlver Wine Label for CLARET

This is a good practical wine label. The overall shape is an oblong, and it... Date: 1825

Price: UK customers £160, US customers $225

9889 A Rare Set of 14 Pottery 'Coathanger' Bin Numbers

9889 A Rare Set of 14 Pottery 'Coathanger' Bin Numbers

This is a very rare part set of bin numbers. Most bin numbers are circular and... Date: c.1860

Sold

9898 A Part Set Of Circular Bin Numbers

9898 A Part Set Of Circular Bin Numbers

Bin numbers were usually made circular and about 3" (75mm) diameter. They were particualrly popular... Date: c.1890

Sold

9919 Two Small Bin Labels for Port & Madeira

9919 Two Small Bin Labels for Port & Madeira

These are two unusual bin lables from a set. One bears the legend '2 MADEIRA',... Date: c.1850

Sold

9925 An early Rectangular Silver Wine Label for HOCK

9925 An early Rectangular Silver Wine Label for HOCK

There is something really rather attractive about this wine label - the proportions, the size... Date: c.1760

Price: UK customers £420, US customers $590

9926 A Silver-Gilt Wine Label for MADEIRA

9926 A Silver-Gilt Wine Label for MADEIRA

Charles Rawlings, the maker of this label was one of the most prolific wine-label makers... Date: 1827

Price: UK customers £260, US customers $365

9927 A Fine Set of 6 Silver Wine Labels

9927 A Fine Set of 6 Silver Wine Labels

This is a fine set of 6 wine labels made in 1828 by Charles Reily... Date: 1828

Sold

9958 A Very Rare Pink Lustre Spode Bin Label for Bronte

9958 A Very Rare Pink Lustre Spode Bin Label for Bronte

This is an extremely rare pottery bin label for Bronte, and one which provokes activity... Date: c.1830

Price: UK customers £1,150, US customers $1,610

9960 A Rare Delftware Bin Label for PORT.

9960 A Rare Delftware Bin Label for PORT.

This is the earliest type of 'standard' bin label, and it is chacterised by its... Date: c.1750 - 1780

Price: UK customers £1,100, US customers $1,540

9967 A Wedgwood Bin Label for BARSAC

9967 A Wedgwood Bin Label for BARSAC

White pottery bin labels can really be divided into 3 categories of rarity. At the... Date: c.1850

Sold

9969 A Very Unusual Silver Ring Wine Label for SHERRY

9969 A Very Unusual Silver Ring Wine Label for SHERRY

Silver wine labels suspended from a ring, rather than a chain, are not unduly uncommon.... Date: 1830 (?)

Price: UK customers £285, US customers $400

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