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Never one to miss a bargain I picked all these up tonight for €20 plus fees. I’m never put off with the lack of stoppers because I don’t use them! Any of you experts out there ready to date them and would I be right in saying that the one on the right is the oldest?

I have to resist the temptation to buy decanters will all my might since otherwise my house would be completely awash with them. Ditto decanter tags. I am no good at dating them, although my favourite design is the one on the left of the back row, behind the one with the label saying 667. I think having a wide neck is a big advantage to allow you to get a decent funnel into it.

@ JacobH - by 'decanter tags' I presume you mean what are called by silver collectors these days 'wine labels' (or sometimes 'decanter labels')?

The eighteenth century name was 'bottle tickets' because of course wine came in barrel not bottle and was put in a bottle/carafe/decanter for table by your butler. and so you needed a 'ticket' to denote the contents.

Yes: I couldn’t quite remember what the correct expression was for them and was hoping I might get away with it...

I am the incoming President of the Wine Label Circle (an organisation which, remarkably, is approaching its seventieth birthday) so I am afraid I could not resist...

Nice!
I'm no expert, but at a glance I'd say the back right 3-rings-on-the-neck is likely the oldest of the lot (or modeled after an older style). I generally inspect them for signs of being hand-blown (no seam, and either a bump or a polished mark where the blowpipe separated).

I too have too many decanters, but sometimes I run into one that is just too interesting to pass up. Of particular fun is when their look-alike shows up in a TV show as part of an apothecary shop or historical setting. Decanter proliferation is an unusual side effect of becoming interested in a wine that required decanting. None of mine are all that old, certainly not of any significant age, but I keep my eyes open.

And when one has decanters, one needs tags for them. Who cares that they all say "Port" -- there are so many patterns.

When I was in London a few years back, a special trip was made to an antique decanter shop on the outskirts of portobello rd, and the V&A's collection of decanter/bottle tags (mostly just one upright case with drawers -- not nearly as impressive as the snuff box display).

I didn't realize that decanter and wine label collecting was a thing, but now I sense a potential new hobby for me....

SushiNorth wrote: ↑20:22 Fri 24 Sep 2021 I too have too many decanters, but sometimes I run into one that is just too interesting to pass up. Of particular fun is when their look-alike shows up in a TV show as part of an apothecary shop or historical setting. Decanter proliferation is an unusual side effect of becoming interested in a wine that required decanting. None of mine are all that old, certainly not of any significant age, but I keep my eyes open.

Where do you find decanters and labels for sale in the US other than online?

slateshalehead wrote: ↑21:40 Fri 24 Sep 2021 Where do you find decanters and labels for sale in the US other than online?

Pre-pandemic:
Flea markets, but usually the vendor knew the value.
Church vintage shops, Salvation Army, etc, where folks are just thinking "what, this old thing?" -- these have resulted in great finds.
Garage sales, but I've rarely found nice ones this way.

I also have a few modern ones that I really like, such as a small eisch duck decanter where the handle spirals around the neck.

Labels have been mostly online, but i found two lovely blank pewter ones which i took to the local engraver.

slateshalehead wrote: ↑21:40 Fri 24 Sep 2021Where do you find decanters and labels for sale in the US other than online?

I bought my favourite decanter for $25, in about 2004, at the street market opposite 777 Sixth Avenue, NYC.

@ slateshalehead - do buy 'Wine Labels 1730 - 2003' early on (it is the equivalent of jdaw1's 'Port Vintages' but for wine labels...) The social history aspect is fascinating - and the revival of interest in obscure wine in the internet age means you can actually buy many of the wines for which there are labels (Carcavelos, Bucellas, etc.) relatively easily.

Labels are a good item to purchase on the internet as easy to ship but there is no substitute for handling them to enable qualitative judgments.

winesecretary wrote: ↑22:48 Fri 24 Sep 2021(it is the equivalent of jdaw1's 'Port Vintages' but for wine labels...)

The highest possible recommendation — one bought on eBay.

SushiNorth wrote: ↑21:57 Fri 24 Sep 2021

slateshalehead wrote: ↑21:40 Fri 24 Sep 2021 Where do you find decanters and labels for sale in the US other than online?

Pre-pandemic:
Flea markets, but usually the vendor knew the value.
Church vintage shops, Salvation Army, etc, where folks are just thinking "what, this old thing?" -- these have resulted in great finds.
Garage sales, but I've rarely found nice ones this way.

I also have a few modern ones that I really like, such as a small eisch duck decanter where the handle spirals around the neck.

Labels have been mostly online, but i found two lovely blank pewter ones which i took to the local engraver.

Thanks for the suggestions! I will have to check my local antique stores, although in my area I suspect I'll find more farming equipment than wine decanters and silver labels...

winesecretary wrote: ↑22:48 Fri 24 Sep 2021 @ slateshalehead - do buy 'Wine Labels 1730 - 2003' early on (it is the equivalent of jdaw1's 'Port Vintages' but for wine labels...) The social history aspect is fascinating - and the revival of interest in obscure wine in the internet age means you can actually buy many of the wines for which there are labels (Carcavelos, Bucellas, etc.) relatively easily.

Thank you for the book suggestion, I'll be sure to pick it up with my next order! As far as @jdaw1's book, I've been hunting for one for a while and have yet to find one... but the hunt continues!

You're not going to find it. The only chance we have is to badger him until he finally decides to reprint it.

Here I was minding my own business and then I came across this thread about old decanters (really nice set of decanters, Justin K). So I go onto Ebay just to look around and placed a best offer bid on a set of 7 various decanters. They'll be delivered in a week or two. You guys are dangerous!

Justin K wrote: ↑23:15 Thu 23 Sep 2021 Never one to miss a bargain I picked all these up tonight for €20 plus fees. I’m never put off with the lack of stoppers because I don’t use them! Any of you experts out there ready to date them and would I be right in saying that the one on the right is the oldest?

Bargain.

All round to Justin's for a tasting?

Mike J. W. wrote: ↑03:49 Mon 27 Sep 2021 Here I was minding my own business and then I came across this thread about old decanters (really nice set of decanters, Justin K). So I go onto Ebay just to look around and placed a best offer bid on a set of 7 various decanters. They'll be delivered in a week or two. You guys are dangerous!

You've no idea. I had a few bottles of Port, then came on here where everyone was posting about latest buys and now I've a cellar full of jam.