ThePortForum.com

Some moons ago, I designed a better decanter. In theory I have been willing to give the design to anyone who would make me a dozen of them, but enthusiastic takers have been few and far between. So it’s now on my website: A practical design of a better decanter.

Comment would be welcome. A set of a dozen decanters would be preferred.

European wines are now coming in 700 mL bottles? Who knew!

I like the design. If you do not need cut crystal, you might try a local artisan glass blower (alas, probably for a fee). They would not be identical that way, but each one would be slightly different, allowing for the memories to flow whenever you bring one out.

Jay

Try sending it to Edinburgh Crystal - see if they think it's viable.

Tom

Forgive me being brashly commercial, but shouldn't you think about protecting this via a registered design, or at least asserting your copyright?

Everything on the website has a clear © notice, but for clarity I’ve added one to the diagrams. Good idea thank you.

uncle tom wrote:Try sending it to Edinburgh Crystal - see if they think it's viable.

IIRC, correctly, I did. I need somebody who knows somebody.

Jay P wrote:local artisan glass blower

Found one, and not dear. It might be of the order of $40 per decanter, including ground stopper. I’ve asked for one to be made as a trial: if it (or a subsequent trial) is good, who else wants a set of, say, fifteen matching decanters? And a couple of magnum decanters? A must for every home. A boon to the working woman. Etc.

jdaw1 wrote:

Jay P wrote:local artisan glass blower

Found one, and not dear. It might be of the order of $40 per decanter, including ground stopper. I’ve asked for one to be made as a trial: if it (or a subsequent trial) is good, who else wants a set of, say, fifteen matching decanters? And a couple of magnum decanters? A must for every home. A boon to the working woman. Etc.

Fifteen? I was thinking of maybe two.

Is there an option to see the prototype before deciding?!

SIgn me up for 6 if they come out well, if they come out bad ....

benread wrote:Is there an option to see the prototype before deciding?!

Yes. Pictures of a prototype will be posted here. But I wanted some vague non-binding indication of numbers.

jdaw1 wrote:

benread wrote:Is there an option to see the prototype before deciding?!

Yes. Pictures of a prototype will be posted here. But I wanted some vague non-binding indication of numbers.

I will possibly take 6 depending on overall cost including delivery - are these being made in the USA?

Derek

If there's a "no order too small" policy and transportation to the UK is a possibility, I'd certainly be interested in acquiring one.

-Jacob (who likes having a miscellaneous collection of decanters)

My guess is that whoever orders the most will take delivery of the UK consignment, for subsequent distribution — presumably at tastings. Doesn’t Uncle Tom want a entire set of matching decanters? That is, rather than others piffling about with the odd half-dozen.

But all this is subject to my being satisfied with the handiwork.

Derek: do you want any in black glass, to match your black glasses? Scary! And yes, made in the USA.

jdaw1 wrote:Yes. Pictures of a prototype will be posted here. But I wanted some vague non-binding indication of numbers.

Would be interested in a pair then. Very interested to see outcome of prototype when available.

Plain glass single-bottle decanters:

• 15 jdaw1;
• 6 Derek T.;
• 6 DifferentDave;
• 2 KillerB;
• 2 BenRead;
• 2 AHB;
• 2 G-Man;
• 1 Jacob H.
  36 Total

Black glass single-bottle decanters:

• 2 jdaw1;
• 2 Derek T.;
• 1 AHB.
  5 Total

Plain glass magnum decanters:

• 2 jdaw1.
  2 Total

Black glass magnum decanters:

• 0 Total

All of these numbers are subject to confirmation when pictures of a prototype available. As DifferentDave and G-Man are local to me, I will endeavour to give them an opportunity to handle and comment on the prototype(s).

Is there anyone on whose attention should be drawn to this thread?

Put me down for two clear decanters (as a first order) and one black decanter (assuming that these are not different in price to those made out of clear glass).

Alex

I'd take 2 also

jdaw1 wrote:Derek: do you want any in black glass, to match your black glasses? Scary!

If these are possible and the same price as clear glass I will take 2.

Tom was definitely after a set of 12 identical decanters. I would suggest you email him a link to this thread if you have not already done so.

Derek

So the chap didn’t answer emails. But his business card recently appeared on my desk, as if by magic, or by surfacing from a pile of ignored papers. So I called, and his answer machine was full. Doesn’t bode well. Then he called back! Apparently his wife ‘handles’ the emails. My email was found. A trial decanter is to be made. Photographs, and if appropriate the whole decanter, will be sent to me.

More to follow.

Did you advise him that the chances of selling a batch would be greatly improved if you could bring one the the UK in early October?

It might take two or three tries before it’s worth bringing one across. I don’t know how well my lip will pour.

Surely v0.1 should be reviewed by the proposed investment committee?

Or at least photo thereof.

The idea of carrying round the Douro a decanter that I know to be faulty has, at best, little appeal. Let me see what comes — if great, yes. If not, I’ll share photos and we can proceed to version 2.

jdaw1 wrote:Or at least photo thereof.

The idea of carrying round the Douro a decanter that I know to be faulty has, at best, little appeal. Let me see what comes — if great, yes. If not, I’ll share photos and we can proceed to version 2.

OK. But surely the first released version will be v1.0, therefore he second pre-release will be v0.2?

In the tradition of various tech co giving beta codenames after certain landmarks or places. (ie. Intel's river scheme)

I'd suggest we name it after the various single quintas.

Let me be first to suggest that v1.0 be codename panascal.

Given recent unfortunate events, I am in need of a decanter and stumbled across this. Did anything ever get made?

I am in need of a decanter

This is where eBay really comes into its own.

Couple get married after living together for years, so they've got everything, and wedding presents are a real headache. So someone buys an expensive crystal decanter for them.

- It goes under the stairs.

Years later there is a parting of the ways, and someone clears out the under-stairs cupboard. Unused crystal decanter, sometimes still in it's battered original box, goes on eBay.

A hundred quid's worth of crystal gets sold for around £15 quid - or less..

Good modern crystal is a pretty safe bet, although the modern ships' type tend to be a bit extreme and hard on the wrist. Older ones sometimes don't have the right stoppers. Decanters from the fifties/sixties tend to be made of cheap soda glass and are not very nice. When buying old crystal, be aware that decanters are sometimes under size - it is actually quite easy to buy a half bottle decanter and not realise it from the photo, so check the dimensions.

The warning uncle tom gives about being careful with checking size/capacity is all the more true if you are looking at vintage or antique decanters. Much wine, and most cheap spirit, was 'decanted' straight from cask before the Single Bottle Act 1861; there was no coalescing of decanter size around 750ml since it simply wasn't a relevant measurement. I suspect the size of the decanter was in part more a function of the amount of puff of the glass blower and a part the function of the old wine measurements. An old friend of mine with a large antique decanter collection has measured the volume of each one; it's some months since I have seen the analysis but if I correctly recall there are frequency peaks some way below and above (possibly denoting measures in the region of Imperial pints for the lower peak, and Winchester quarts for the upper peak) but relatively few in the 750ml range.