Step back into the elegance of an era gone by, where every sip was a symphony of refinement and every vessel a work of art. Behold one of our latest finds, straight from the cobblestone streets of London to your modern-day soirées: a Vintage English Sterling Silver and Cranberry Glass Wine Jug.

Crafted with exacting care, this captivating piece whispers tales of grandiose banquets and delectable secrets shared over a glass of ruby-red wine. The pitcher sparkles with its sterling silver mounts: a wide neck, shapely pour spout, finely detailed handle and lid topped with a classic finial.  Standing confidently on a clear foot, the pitcher's reeded cranberry glass body glows with an irresistible allure, promising to elevate any gathering from mundane to magnificent.

Whether you're hosting an intimate gathering or a lavish affair, this jug is more than a mere vessel—it's a statement piece, a conversation starter, a piece of history waiting to be admired. Exactingly patterned after an antique Victorian jug, this vintage pitcher's sterling collar is fully hallmarked and crafted in London by the esteemed Williams Withers silversmiths.

Elevate your wine experience with this elegant Vintage English Sterling Silver and Cranberry Glass Wine Jug - because true elegance never goes out of style.

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. In excellent vintage condition. 10.75"H x 6" in diameter.

Learn More About Claret Jugs

First appearing in the 17th century as pitchers for serving water - either drinking water or water for finger-washing, ewers began to be used for serving wine towards the end of the 18th century. 

During the Georgian and Victorian eras they were very popular in wealthy households, as wine was often delivered to the home in large wooden barrels. The kitchen staff would decant the wine from the barrel into an elegant wine ewer for presentation on the dinner table. For most of the 18th century, wines were either served out of solid silver pitchers, or from glass decanters and bottles. Most wealthy households purchased wines in casks which were stored in the cellar, from which the head butler would decant into the appropriate serving vessel prior to the meal. 

It was not until the early 19th century when glass manufacturing developed sufficiently that wines were bottled at the source in uniform bottles. This probably explains the sudden appearance of silver mounted claret jugs from about 1830 onwards. As the use and storage of wine became easier, and as the industrial revolution produced a larger consumer class yearning for finer living and drinking, so the demand and consumption of wine grew and with it the need for new conventions, customs and accessories. 

To that end, the claret jug was introduced throughout Europe in the early 19th century when silversmiths embellished glass decanters with silver mounts, lids and handles.

The design and style of claret jugs evolved over time, driven by the ever-changing whims of fashion. From highly ornate to whimsically designed jugs in the shapes of animals, claret jugs reflected the desires of a society to display their new-found wealth and taste for the finer things of life.

Before “claret” was the nickname for Bordeaux wines, it meant “clear,” “pale” or “light-colored” wine (“claret” being derived from the Latin word for “clear”). This is back in the 14th and 15th centuries, when wines from Bordeaux were actually paler, almost like rosés. In the late Middle Ages, “claret” also referred to a heated wine poured over a bag of spices.

The first known references to “claret” as dark red Bordeaux wines were in the 1700s by the British trade. History buffs will recall that France and England were at war during this period, and it was right around then that the English started seeking out Portuguese wines to satisfy their thirst.

These days “claret” is used as a generic way to refer to Bordeaux wines - or wines styled after Bordeaux.