Decanter

Object Type
The general form of decanters had become standardised by the end of the 18th century: a cylindrical body with flutes cut around the base, and a tapering neck with three applied rings to provide grip. Apart from slight variations to the body shape, and especially to the cutting, the 'three-ring' decanter has continued to the present day.

Design & Designing
Heavy lead glass with elaborate cutting was ideally suited for the dessert table, where its brilliance (due to the oxides of lead in the glass) would have been greatly enhanced by candlelight. The practical, sturdy form of this decanter and its mixture of heavy light-reflecting ribs with fine cutting, achieve a satisfactory harmony of function and decoration. Cutting styles after about 1840 became increasingly coarse and heavy, in parallel with the furniture of the period.

Ownership & Use
Decanters were normally supplied in sets of two or more, as part of a well-established ritual for drinking at the table at the end of a meal. For larger tables, boat-shaped stands of wood or Sheffield plate for a pair of decanters could be wheeled or passed around.