{"id":13306,"date":"2022-07-27T11:00:18","date_gmt":"2022-07-27T09:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homesandantiques.com\/?p=23775"},"modified":"2022-07-27T11:16:10","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T09:16:10","slug":"a-guide-to-collecting-and-buying-decanters","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/a-guide-to-collecting-and-buying-decanters\/","title":{"rendered":"A guide to collecting and buying decanters"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Molly Malsom\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 27 July 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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What is a decanter?<\/h2>\n

The decanter is an object of beauty, as well as function; a much prettier object than a vase. It\u2019s anthropomorphic, with a head, shoulders and foot, just like a little person. I like the fun of that sort of thing. I enjoy the beauty of it on my table, and I haven\u2019t drunk wine at home poured from a bottle in 25 years \u2013 I always decant wine.<\/p>\n

Why do people use a decanter?<\/h2>\n

If your sister comes round, do you whack out the milk bottle from the fridge? No, you use a jug. Does this make it taste better? No. But does it make you feel better as a host? Yes. And the decanter is the same, only it does<\/i> make the wine taste better. The simple action of pouring a bottle of wine into a decanter improves the wine in under a minute. It opens it up, softens the tannins, turning a \u00a35 wine into a \u00a37-plus wine.<\/p>\n

You might also like<\/strong> the best drinking glasses<\/a><\/p>\n

What is the history of decanters?<\/h2>\n

The use of decanters has declined. Historically, you were regarded as socially undesirable if you didn\u2019t decant your wine. At one time, everyone had a decanter, but after the Second World War we lost the habit of decanting; wine was expensive and as a nation we preferred beer and spirits.<\/p>\n

Of the 20th-century design movements in decanters, Modernism and Post-Modernism are probably the strongest areas. Modernism because it\u2019s practical \u2013 the Modernist decanter you fill with wine; the Post-Modern decanter you look at.<\/p>\n

Which you buy depends on whether you\u2019re using them or enjoying them as sculptural objects. The really serious area of collecting, moneywise, is sculptural studio glass, metre tall, unfillable, completely useless, totally amazing!<\/p>\n

How much do antique decanters cost?<\/h2>\n

But if you\u2019re buying to use, choose a design with a wide shape as this gives the greatest surface area, allowing the wine to oxidise quickly. With \u00a3100 you could probably buy two or three decanters. The stopper must fit, each one is unique and cannot be replaced. Look out for cracks \u2013 they\u2019re bad news.<\/p>\n

Glass is cheap, relative to the skill and energy required to make it, but people take it for granted \u2013 they see right through it. But normal people with normal money can still buy the best pieces. In 40 years, I\u2019ve only sold two decanters for more than \u00a31,000. One was a 1950s Finnish design, \u2018Kremlin Bells\u2019 by Kaj Franck. A collector paid me \u00a31,500 and now it\u2019s worth \u00a32,000. The other dated from 1750.<\/p>\n

The record price in decanters was $46,000 for a pair dating from 1825. The equivalent 20th-century decanter would probably come from either Finland or Italy and cost \u00a33,000\u2013\u00a34,000. That\u2019s the peak.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re getting into collecting glass in general, don\u2019t splash the cash straightaway. Visit museums such as the V&A and the British Museum, or specialist fairs, such as Knebworth, where dealers are only too happy to talk.<\/p>\n

Visit Andy\u2019s website decanterman.com<\/a>, an invaluable source of information on collecting glass.<\/em><\/p>\n

You might also like<\/strong> the best spirits for the ultimate drinks trolley<\/a><\/p>\n

Where to buy antique decanters<\/h2>\n