A rare opportunity to own two English sterling silver gilt bottle labels or tickets made by the famed silversmith Paul Storr, who was goldsmith to King George IV. Each label is an exquisitely rendered leopard pelt design draped over crescent shaped nameplate opening with a vine leaf and grape surround, taken from the famous Roman period Warwick Vase. Hallmarks for London, 1810.

The labels measure approximately 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches and are suspended from a 8 inch heavy gage chain. Each weighs approximately 61 grams or 2.25 ounces. Each label is hallmarked on front at opposite ends. The chain on the labels is not hallmarked, but acid tests as silver. There is minor wear to the silver gilt and the original name plate inserts are lost.

Provenance: from the Estate of Ethel Mary Crocker, granddaughter of Charles Crocker (1822-1888), chief contractor in the building of the Central Pacific (later the Southern Pacific) Railroad.

There is an exact match of the 2 bottle labels made by Paul Storr in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, which provides the following information on bottle labels: The history of bottle tickets provides a fascinating insight into English eating, drinking and personal habits. 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. Their function was to identify the contents of a bottle or decanter, which might alternatively contain spirits, sauces, toilet waters or cordials. These tickets also illustrate in miniature, the skills of the silversmith over the last two hundred years. While the variety of styles and materials were enormous, silver bottle tickets tended to reflect fashionable designs in metalware generally. Makers were quick to adapt the many technical advances of the 18th and 19th centuries.

The item(s) are antique and sold as is/as found unless otherwise noted. Because they are old, they were used and will not look new or new-like. They likely show wear, fading, scratches, chips, cracks, past repair/restoration, original imperfections and/or damage from normal use. Significant issues are shown in photos. Examine photos carefully as they are part of the description. Imperfections were factored into pricing. No returns or refunds.

Items sold for $100 or more may be shipped with additional purchased insurance and a signature requirement. No responsibility for loss, theft or damage that occurs AFTER your purchase has been delivered to the address you have provided. Any damage to purchase must be reported immediately and photos provided of both the exterior of the box and the damaged item to facilitate the filing of a claim