Silver Mountain Wine Label, c.1750 by Richard Binley

Richard Binley was one of the important, early specialist makers of silver wine labels. According to "London Goldsmiths 1697-1837" by Arthur Grimwade and "Wine Labels 1730-2003", Richard Binley was apprenticed to Sandilands Drinkwater between 1732 and 1739, and apparently didn't enter a mark at Goldsmiths Hall until 1760. He died in May 1764 and the business was continued by his widow Margaret. This label bears a clear example of his distinctive "RB" maker's mark in combination with the pre-1755 lion passant mark and so presumably proves that he entered an earlier mark which is either not recorded or from a missing register and will date this piece to the years either side of 1750.

This silver wine label is titled for MOUNTAIN and is a fine example of his work and is in the typical escutcheon shape of the 1750's. The bottle ticket is further enhanced with original vine and grape chased decoration. 

Mountain is a sweet dessert wine from the hills around Malaga in Spain and was the predecessor of Sherry in the UK, being replaced by the latter circa 1790.