Wine Related Reproductions from Colonial Williamsburg

John D. Rockefeller Jr. commissioned the first reproductions based on finds from Williamsburg in the 1930s.   Today the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation continues to license museum quality reproductions from a wide variety of manufacturers.  Proceeds from the sales assist in restoration, research, and education.  Some of the earliest productions consisted of three types of furniture to store wine decanters or bottles.

Furniture

Kittinger Furniture was the prime manufacturer of Colonial Williamsburg furniture from the 1930s through 1990.  The first two pieces of furniture mentioned below, CW31 and CW32, were manufactured during the 1930s.

The first piece is the wine case CW31.  This double-tier case hold six bottles or decanters on each tier.  The top tier may be locked to prevent access to the bottom tier.  This was designed to hold wine decanter CW6.

The second piece is the wine cellerate CW32.  The top case contains a divided compartment that holds wine bottles and has a locking lid.  The bottom portion features a slide out serving shelf and a drawer for accessories.  The drawer has a pull handle.

The third piece is the wine cellerate CW162.  This piece is is almost five inches taller than CW32.  It also features knobs instead of a handle on the drawer.  The drawer also locks.

At least four cellarettes are in the Colonial Williamsburg inventory, three of which from the Raleigh Tavern.

• Raleigh Tavern, Dauphne Room
  40-3251 Cellarette, walnut, American-Southern, late 18th century
  41-3583 Cellarette, walnut, American-Southern, late 18th century
• Raleigh Tavern, Public Dinning Room
  30-57 Cellarette, applewood, American, c. 1790, Sheraton style, 2 drawers (perhaps CW162?)
• The Coke-Garrett House, Kitchen, West
  1930-40 Cellarette, walnut and Southern yellow pine, American, 1780-1800.

Glassware

To accompany the wine case and cellarettes the decanter CW6 was licensed by Royal Leerdam Crystal.  They are a Dutch company that has manufactured bottles since 1765.

Wine Decanter CW6, Manufactured by Royal Leerdam Crystal

The Blenko Glass Company of West Virginia manufactured a series of bottles and decanters.  CW40 is a beautiful hexagonal wine bottle that reproduces a bottle from John Greenhow dating to 1770.  It features a bottle seal stamped with, “Jno Greenhow Wmsbg 1770”.  For those who carefully read my earlier posts, you might remember snippets from John Greenhow’s advertisements in the Virginia Gazette from this post.

Wine Bottle CW40, Manufactured by Blenko Glass Company

Wine Bottle CW40, Manufactured by Blenko Glass Company

They also reproduced a beautiful ring-necked decanter CW42 based on a decanter from the Brush-Everard House.

Wine Decanter CW42, Manufactured by Blenko Glass Company

Of course these reproducion bottles and decanters might require a tray to carry them on. To do so, there is Gallery Serving Tray AP12.