Decanters

Decanters are a byword for elegance

In the 17th century, claret was the well-to-do Englishman’s favourite tipple. As it was served cold and stored in its cask, the only thing necessary between the cask and the drinker’s glass was a stout serving bottle of thick, greenish glass, for the servant to transport the liquor to the table.

These early bottles were of a shape called “shaft and globe”, and consisted of a bulbous base surmounted by a long, thin neck. Some of the earliest decanters were made in this shape, which was revived with great success by the Victorians.

Decanters gained popularity

So it was not until the Englishman adopted port as his favourite drink in the 18th century that the decanter came into its own. It was found that this fortified wine actually improved from careful storage and by being poured into a smaller container to settle and acquire room temperature.

Decanter styles

By 1750, glass decanters had gained ground-glass stoppers to prevent evaporation, and several identifiable shapes were in evidence. In addition to the shaft and globe, you would find the straight-sided “mallet” decanter, the shoulders of which curved and lengthened as the century progressed until it became the tall, elegant “shouldered” decanter so popular in the 1770s. Then there was the “club” shape, with rounded sides that tapered towards the base.

The first “label” decanters appeared soon after, with names such as claret, mountain and hollands (gin) engraved on the body. Towards the end of the 18th century the shape changed.

The Regency period decanters

The Regency period brought drum-shaped bodies with sloping shoulders and short necks, the latter having two or more rings to give a reasonable grip when pouring. Elaborate cutting came into fashion at the beginning of the 19th century, especially on the Waterford decanters with their characteristic “mushroom” stoppers. And all these styles remain with us to the present day – eminently collectable.

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