The Admiral or Ship's Decanter has a mouth blown crystal body, a crystal stopper and a handmade hallmarked sterling silver collar. An impressive and unusual piece of tableware, this decanter is sure to provoke much comment from your dinner party friends and guests

The Decanter is mouth blown, therefore each piece is unique, having been made by a team of craftsmen including a Master glassblower who has perfected his skills over at least 10 years. The clear lines and clarity of these decanters complement the rich colours of the liquids they hold.

When decanting your vintage wine or port, it is helpful to hold the bottle neck in front of a lighted candle (electric light doesn't seem to work quite the same). In this way you can stop pouring as you see the sediment start to get into the neck. Do not waste this sediment! It is a great addition to the gravy.

The Admiral or Ship's Decanter, as it is sometimes known, has a unique, handmade hallmarked silver collar. It was designed and made by Master Silversmith John Campbell and is part of the "Appetite" collection. This particular decanter is usually used to hold port or sherry and sometimes spirits.

The use of the Ships or Admiral decanter began in naval ships in the late 18^th century and it would almost certainly have been found in the Captain's cabin - no matter what size of ship. The broad base of this decanter, sometimes up to 12" in diameter, was made popular by Admiral Rodney when he used it aboard his flagship. The base was to ensure stability when at sea. One more test of a ship's decanter is when the shortest distance from the outer edge of the pouring lip to the edge of the base be equal or greater than the outer circumference of the pouring lip. This was known as the 'Rodney' test.

For those interested in how we make this item: a difficult product as far as the glass blower is concerned, owing to the very large "belly" diameter in relation to the neck. It needs several reheats to achieve its full diameter. The reject rate is very high for this piece. The silver collar is made in two parts and "lapped" together employing the "spinning" method, which is a method of making hollow objects in small quantities on a lathe, using silver discs "spun" over a preformed "chuck "with a burnisher. This is a highly polished steel tool fixed into a long wooden handle. This is steered by the silversmith's hand and using his body weight to provide the force necessary to move the metal. In this instance, the top component is made from thicker silver than the lower part to avoid accidental damage caused by insertion of the stopper.

As with all English-made, silverware items, hallmarking is mandatory, necessitating a visit to the London Assay Office but first the article needs to be punched with the maker's mark, JAC in a triangle, which are the initials of founder John Campbell. When the articles are received at the Assay office, all the components are sampled and tested to ensure they are all above 92.5% silver. The remaining 7.5% copper, has been used historically to harden the silver as it is too soft in its pure form. After a positive result from the assay office lab, the remaining hallmarks are punched into the surface of the metal. This English hallmarking system is one of the oldest and best forms of consumer protection and was started in the 1400s.

Upon return to the silversmith's workshop, the slight dents caused by the hallmark punches and the scrape marks are removed and 4 grades of polishing compound used to give the perfect finish. Lastly the collar is ultrasonically cleaned, fixed to the crystal body using Plaster of Paris and packed into the JACampbell luxury presentation boxes. 

Either the crystal body or the silver collar can be suitably engraved with a message or image of your choice, making it an ideal silver wedding present, birthday gift or corporate gift. It is also possible to make the collar in other precious metals of your choice such as gold or platinum to suit another occasion or simply to add value. A wonderful piece to enjoy now and hand down to a future generation. Why not also choose a coaster to complement this decanter?

In the unlikely event of damage, JA Campbell provides a full repair and replacement service. All our silver mounted decanters are made up to a standard, not down to a price.