Not currently on display at the V&A

Bottle Ticket

ca. 1760 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Bottle tickets identified the contents of a bottle or decanter, which might alternatively contain spirits, sauces, toilet waters or cordials. This silver ticket identifies the contents as rum.

Contemporary gazettes begin to refer to ‘labels for bottles’ in the 1770s but it was not until the 1790s that they were established as wine or decanter labels. These tickets also illustrate in miniature the skills of the silversmith over the last two hundred years. While the variety of styles and materials was enormous, silver bottle tickets tended to reflect the designs and technical advances in metalware generally.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver, chased
Brief description
Silver, no hallmarks, London ca.1760, mark of Richard Thomas.
Physical description
Bottle ticket (one of a pair) with the word RUM. Silver, shaped, waisted oblong with chased, scrolled borders pinned to the back plate; chain attached.
Dimensions
  • Height: 1.25in
  • Length: 2.5in
Marks and inscriptions
  • Mark of Richard Thomas
  • No hallmarks
  • RUM
Credit line
P. J. Cropper Bequest
Subject depicted
Summary
Bottle tickets identified the contents of a bottle or decanter, which might alternatively contain spirits, sauces, toilet waters or cordials. This silver ticket identifies the contents as rum.

Contemporary gazettes begin to refer to ‘labels for bottles’ in the 1770s but it was not until the 1790s that they were established as wine or decanter labels. These tickets also illustrate in miniature the skills of the silversmith over the last two hundred years. While the variety of styles and materials was enormous, silver bottle tickets tended to reflect the designs and technical advances in metalware generally.
Associated object
M.524-1944 (Ensemble)
Collection
Accession number
M.525-1944

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdFebruary 14, 2005
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest