An extremely rare George III Armorial Wine Label made in London in 1801 by John Reilly.

An extremely rare George III Armorial Wine Label made in London in 1801 by John Reilly.

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Families entitled to coats of arms have displayed them on their possessions, and particularly on their silver, for centuries, and so they put them on their wine labels as a matter of course when they came into existence.  At a rtime when ostentatious exhibition of your wealth and standing was customary, the more visible the arms were the more important the owner must be.  Usually it is the Crest from the coat of arms which is usedon a label and it was the wealthiest of families who had Armorial labels made, as they were unique to that specific family.  With regard to the label we are offering, this is a most unusual Crest as it depicts two opposing wings, flanking a central ladder.  The banner is pierced for PORT and the reverse is very well marked.  This piece is in quite excellent condition.

Height: 1.5 inches, 3.75 cm.

Width: 1.5 inches, 3.75 cm.


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