This square spirit decanter is pure crystal with a traditional cut decoration. It has an elegant hallmarked sterling silver collar which is handmade in our Brentwood workshop. It is made thick enough to stand a slight knock. Part of the JA Campbell 'Classic' collection.

All of the decanter tops in the JA Campbell range are made by the 'spinning' method although each model is different in size and shape. The silver sheet required is made for us by Cookson Precious Metal and starts life as 93% of pure silver ingot mixed with 7% of pure copper and melted in a continuous casting machine producing a billet about 10" wide and 1" thick. This is cut into manageable lengths and rolled to increase the width to 1 metre and the length to produce the final thickness required. They are then cut into 1 metre by 0.5 metre stock sizes. Next they are packed together (about 20 sheets) into thick steel boxes with a thin dusting of talcum powder between each sheet to prevent them sticking together. Several of these boxes are then packed into a furnace and cooked for around 12 hours and allowed to cool. This process softens (anneals) the sheets which - through the rolling process - have become very hard. The sheets are then removed from the boxes, cleaned and plastic coated.

Spinning is an ancient method that is still suitable today for the making of round, hollow objects from sheet material in relatively small quantities. It involves taking a disc of sheet material (in this case silver) and coaxing it while it spins rapidly over a preformed chuck or former, screwed on to a spinning lathe and using a polished steel 'burnisher' with a long wooden handle which is held against the body and under the arm of the spinner/silversmith to provide leverage. All Campbell decanter tops are 'spun' in 2 parts and lapped together again on a lathe, the top component being thicker than the bottom to avoid accidental damage which could occur from the stopper.

At this stage in the making, the item is punched with the maker's mark, JAC in a triangle, the full initials of John Campbell. It is then sent to the London Assay Office for testing of each and every component. Only if all the components prove to be better than 92.5% silver are the remaining hallmarks punched into the surface while being supported on a steel stake. The English hallmarking system is one of the oldest and best forms of consumer protection and dates back to the 1400s.

The item is then returned to the silversmith's workshop where the hallmarks are set. It is then polished using 4 grades of compound to remove all the spinning lines, file marks, blemishes and scrape marks caused by the Assay Office tests. The decanter tops are then ultrasonically cleaned, punched with the JA Campbell name mark and fitted on to the appropriate decanter using Plaster of Paris. Finally they are packed into fitted presentation boxes for dispatch.

All JA Campbell decanters will enhance the experience of drinking wine or spirits. The square cut spirit decanter is suitable for whisky, brandy or rum or any other spirit of your choice. Whether Irish or Scottish, single malt or a blend of whisky that you prefer, this decanter will enhance the drinking experience.

Any of the silver decanters on this website can be engraved, either on the silver collar or on the crystal body.(Except the cut pattern) This allows you to personalize the gift and mark the occasion. They are suitable for many occasions, a wedding present or a birthday, a corporate gift or for an award ceremony, or simply to spoil yourself! The silver collar can also be gold plated to suit a golden wedding present.

There are 3 main types of brandy; grape brandy produced by the distillation of fermented grapes; fruit brandy which is distilled from fruits other than grapes such as apples (an example being Calvados). The third type being Pomace brandy which is produced by fermentation and distillation of grape skins, seeds and stems that remain after the grapes have been pressed and their juice extracted. An example of this is the Italian Grappa.

Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugar cane by-products such as molasses and sugar cane juice by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak and other barrels. Light rums are commonly used in cocktails whereas golden and dark rums are appropriate for drinking straight or for cooking. Premium rums are also available that are made to be consumed straight or with ice.

The decanter comes in a satin-lined presentation box and can be gift wrapped if required. Be assured that all JA Campbell products are made up to a standard and not down to a price. In the unlikely event of damage, we provide a full repair/replacement service. 'To delight a customer' is something Designer John Campbell aims to do with every item that leaves his workshop.