Rare 19th Century Decorative Antique French Wine or Champagne Bottle Pourer

This is a stunning and highly unusual antique French wirework wine bottle holder and pourer, perfect for making a decorative impact in your home. 

Dating from the 1800s, this is a very ornate piece over which much time and care has been taken. A wirework cradle features ironwork leaves and berries intertwining itself forming the base of the bottle holder. Around the outside of the bottle carrier hang ornamental coils of wire. At one end is a curved wirework handle which sits above a carved wooden ram's head, which provides stability when the holder is not in use. The cradle itself sits on two beautifully styled wheels, each of which works still. And at the top of the holder is a ring through which the neck of a wine bottle can be placed.

The detail on this piece is stupendous and I've never come across anything quite like this before. It was certainly intended as a showpiece when serving wine or champagne and would certainly have the same impact now, as it is still highly usable.

The bottle holder does show signs of its age. The ram's head would have been gilded originally, but there are now only some remnants remaining. Some of the coils which hang around the top of the bottle cradle are missing, and there is also oxidisation in places across the piece. One of the ram's horns is missing and the other has some damage. However, overall, these issues are minor though as it really is a stunning decorative antique which is still in working order. This is a rare opportunity to acquire an item like this.

Length, 29cm; Width, 14.5cm; Height, 22.5cm