George IV silver wine funnel

A fine antique silver wine funnel with fluted tulip shaped body. The removable strainer section has a pretty border of grape vines, flowers and scrolls with a cast shell hook. The spout has a wonderful curvature with original beak-shaped opening that allows the wine to pour gently down the inside of a wine jug or decanter.

This silver funnel is unusual in that it retains its original hallmarked ring to hold the muslin in place, and it is engraved on one fluted section with a monogram "RER" in scrolling script.

First appearing at the end of the 17th century, silver wine funnels were designed to decant wine from the bottle to a decanter for the table. The bowl was pierced with holes for catching larger pieces of detritus such as cork, while a retaining ring kept a piece of muslin straining cloth in place which filtered out finer sediment and prevented spoiling the wine in the decanter.

In the 18th century the spigot was crafted with a curved tip to ensure the wine ran gently down the wall of the decanter and, particularly for very fine or old wines, prevent bruising the wine.
First appearing at the end of the 17th century, silver wine funnels were designed to decant wine from the bottle to a decanter for the table. The bowl was pierced with holes for catching larger pieces of detritus such as cork, while a retaining ring kept a piece of muslin straining cloth in place which filtered out finer sediment and prevented spoiling the wine in the decanter.

In the 18th century the spigot was crafted with a curved tip to ensure the wine ran gently down the wall of the decanter and, particularly for very fine or old wines, prevent bruising the wine.