Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 67, The Whiteley Galleries

Bottle Ticket

ca. 1755 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The word 'Madeira' on this silver ticket refers to a fortified wine named after the island where it was produced. Bottle tickets identified the contents of a bottle or decanter, which might alternatively contain spirits, sauces, toilet waters or cordials. 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 fashionable designs and technical advances in metalware generally.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver, pierced and engraved
Brief description
Silver, no hallmarks, London ca.1755, mark of Sandylands Drinkwater.
Physical description
Bottle ticket (one of set of six) with the word "MADEIRA." Silver, pierced and engraved, ribbon shaped surmounted by a wreath and crest of an armoured arm embowed, grasping an arrow (Hales, an extinct Baronetcy by 1806); chain attached.
Dimensions
  • Length: 4.6cm
  • Width: 5.0cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • No hallmarks
  • Mark of Sandylands Drinkwater
  • Crest of Hales (extinct, 1806)
  • MADEIRA
Gallery label
Heraldic Set: Heraldic set of six bottle tickets British, around 1755 Mark of Sandilands Drinkwater Designed as crests of a bent arm holding an arrow M.1108 to 1113-1944(2000)
Credit line
P. J. Cropper Bequest
Object history
Acquisition RF: 44 / 177
Bequest - P.J. Cropper
per W J Sheldrick
One of set: M.1108 to 1113 - 1944
Subjects depicted
Summary
The word 'Madeira' on this silver ticket refers to a fortified wine named after the island where it was produced. Bottle tickets identified the contents of a bottle or decanter, which might alternatively contain spirits, sauces, toilet waters or cordials. 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 fashionable designs and technical advances in metalware generally.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
M.1112-1944

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 createdMarch 3, 2004
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest