Got some old wine bottles gathering dust in your attic? It’s time you took them out because those bottles could be holding a fortune! That’s true! While common vintage wine bottles can sell for a few hundred, some rare and really antique examples (from the 1700s or so) can fetch thousands!
So, scroll below to learn all about identifying antique wine bottles by their appearance, make, and more, and understand what makes these glassware pieces valuable! Also, you’ll find a few rare wine bottle examples to find out in your attic or kitchen right away!
How to Identify Vintage Wine Bottles? (Key Signs to Spot)
It’s all about the details. When you’re holding an old bottle, you’re looking for clues that tell you how it was made and when. Here’s what you need to zero in on.
Physical Features
Believe it or not, wine bottle styles, especially the size, shape, and glass, have changed a lot over time. And these shifts are your first big hint to authenticate an antique find.
Bottle Shape:
Every wine region developed its own bottle style, and these shapes haven’t changed much over the centuries. Learning them is like having a secret decoder ring.
- Bordeaux Bottles: These bottles have high, pronounced shoulders that create an almost military bearing. The shoulders weren’t just for looks—they caught sediment when pouring the wine. You’ll recognize this shape because it’s still used today for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
- Burgundy Bottles: Picture softer, sloping shoulders and a slightly wider body. These bottles look more relaxed than their Bordeaux cousins. They were designed for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and here’s a fun fact—they don’t stack well on their sides because of those gentle curves.
- German/Alsatian Bottles: These are the runway models of wine bottles—tall, slender, and elegant. They were originally designed to fit better in Rhine River boats for shipping. Today, you’ll still see this shape used for Riesling.
- Champagne Bottles: These look similar to Burgundy bottles but feel much heavier. They had to be thick and strong to handle the pressure from all those bubbles. If you pick one up and it feels surprisingly heavy, that’s your first hint.
Shape clues based on era:
- Early Birds (1600s – Mid-1700s): Imagine a squat, round “onion” or “shaft and globe” bottle. These guys were thick and a bit wobbly. They weren’t made for aging wine, just for holding it for a bit. Think short necks and wide bases.
- Getting Taller (Mid-1700s – Early 1800s): Bottles started to get a bit more stretched out, looking like “mallets” or “clubs.” They still had wide bottoms, but the body was longer. This helped people start storing wine on its side, which is key for keeping corks moist!
- Modern Look (Early 1800s Onward): Finally, we get to the familiar cylindrical shape. This was a game-changer! It meant bottles could be stacked neatly, making wine storage much easier. You’ll also see some special shapes like tall, slender “Hock” bottles (for German wines) or wider “Claret” bottles (from Bordeaux).
Bottle Color:
The color of old wine bottles isn’t random—it’s a roadmap to their age and origin.
- Dark Olive Green (Almost Black): This was the standard for most wine bottles from the 1800s through the early 1900s. The exact shade can help you narrow down when and where it was made.
- Amber: Less common but not rare. You’ll see this on some sweet wines and regional specialties, especially from the mid-to-late 1800s. Very dark amber (almost black) bottles are the earliest.
- Light Green or Aqua: Often found on earlier bottles, usually pre-1900. This color came from iron impurities in the sand used to make the glass.
- Clear Glass: Started showing up more after 1900 as glassmaking got more sophisticated. True colorless antique wine bottles are rare for the main fine wine category.
Red Flag Alert: If you see a bottle with super bright colors—electric blue, bright red, or purple—run away. These are almost always modern reproductions trying to look “antique.”
Glass Thickness:
Real antique bottles have character in their glass. Hand-blown bottles from before the 1870s have irregular thickness—thicker at the bottom where glass pooled during making, thinner on the sides.
Early machine-made bottles (1880s-1920s) are more uniform but still substantial.
Watch Out For: Modern reproductions often go overboard, making the glass super thick and crude-looking to seem “handmade.” Real antique glassmakers were skilled craftsmen—they tried to make quality bottles, not crude ones.
Bottle Mouth & Closure
The top of an old wine bottle tells you a lot about when it was made and how seriously people took their wine back then.
Mouth Types:
- Applied Lips (Early to Mid-1800s): These were handmade additions. A glassblower would take a separate piece of hot glass and wrap it around the neck to create a lip for the cork. You can usually spot these because they’re a bit wonky – visible seams, tool marks, and little irregularities where human hands shaped the glass.
- String Rims: These were just a narrow band of glass around the neck. These were meant to hold string or wire that kept a wax seal or stopper in place.
- Cork Finishes: The wine bottles’ mouths got more sophisticated as corks became the standard. These lips were thicker and more robust, designed to grip a cork tightly. Early ones could be pretty crude and uneven – again, that human touch.
- Mold-Formed Lips (Late 1800s onward): Once they started making the whole bottle, including the lip, in a mold, they got much more uniform results. No more of those telltale applied seams were seen.
- Machine-Made Finishes (After 1905): These bottles have perfect symmetry with mold seams running right over the lip. No tool marks.
Closures:
Closures are dead giveaways for age. Historically, it was all about corks, often sealed with wax that might have a family crest or winery mark pressed into it. Some used wire to secure things. If you see screw caps or crown caps, you’re looking at 20th century stuff.
The Base (Pontil Marks & Mold Seams)
Flip that bottle over—the base is where you’ll find your best authentication clues.
Base Design:
The way an old wine bottle’s base is designed can also authenticate it. Here’s how:
- The “Kick-Up” (Punt): Most antique wine bottles have a concave push-up on the bottom called a kick-up or punt. This helped make the bottle stronger and collect sediment.
- Deep and Uneven: Older bottles often have deep, sometimes off-center, and a bit irregular kick-ups. Later ones became more uniform.
Pontil Marks:
These marks are left where a metal rod held the bottle while the glassworker finished the mouth. They’re like fingerprints for age.
- Open Pontil Scars (1600s-1855): These look like rough, circular scars where the rod was broken off. They can actually be sharp enough to cut your finger. If you find one of these, you’re looking at a bottle that’s at least 170 years old.
- Iron Pontil Marks (1845-1863): Circular marks with reddish or brownish residue from the iron rod. Much more controlled looking than open pontils.
- No Pontil Mark: If there’s no pontil mark, the bottle was made after about 1860-1870, when new holding techniques were developed.
Fake Alert: Modern reproductions sometimes have fake pontil marks. Real ones have irregular, organic patterns and show appropriate wear. Fake ones often look too perfect or wrong for the supposed age.
Mold Seams:
- No Seams (Free-Blown): Extremely rare and valuable. These bottles are completely asymmetrical and were made entirely by hand.
- Partial Seams: Seams that run from the base to the shoulder but stop before the neck. These date from the 1820s-1880s and are worth more than full-seam bottles.
- Full Seams: Seams running all the way to the lip mean machine-made production, usually after 1905.
Labels & Embossings
Any markings on the bottle can give you tons of info. Among these, the most common are the labels and the embossings:
Paper Labels:
Paper labels on wine bottles didn’t become common until the mid-to-late 1800s. So, older bottles usually won’t have them.
But if a label is there, check for signs of age-appropriate deterioration: fading, yellowing, minor tears, or stains. A label that looks brand new or too perfectly pristine on an old bottle could be a red flag.
Embossed Marks:
Embossed letters or designs are pressed right into the glass itself when the bottle is made. These are super reliable because they don’t fade or fall off.
You might find the winery name, initials, a family crest, or even a capacity mark (like “Pint” or “Quart”) embossed on the shoulder, body, or base. Sometimes, you’ll even see the glassmaker’s mark.
The crispness of the embossing can also give clues. Early molds sometimes produced slightly less defined or a bit crude lettering.
What Makes Antique Wine Bottles?
Okay, so now you know how to identify an antique bottle. But what turns a cool old bottle into a valuable collector’s piece? It’s a mix of different things, and it’s not always just about age.
Rarity
The rarity of an antique wine bottle is the big money maker! Here’s what makes a bottle rare:
- Age Rarity: Bottles with pontil marks (pre-1860) automatically have a higher value because fewer survived. Civil War era bottles (1860-1865) are especially interesting because they represent a transition period.
- Regional Rarity: American-made wine bottles are often worth more than European imports, especially if they’re from documented early California wineries.
- Size & Shape Variations: Tiny wine bottles are extremely rare in antique examples. Oversized formats from the 1800s also command premium prices. Also, bottles with unusual shapes, colors, or distinctive embossing that are not commonly found will be more valuable.
Condition
Condition is the king when it comes to valuing old bottles. Here’s how it impacts the value:
- No Chips, No Cracks: The best antique wine bottles are free from any chips, cracks, or serious scratches. Small scuffs from age are usually okay, but significant damage really hurts the value.
- Clear Glass is Key: Have you ever seen a bottle that looks cloudy or hazy? That’s “sick glass,” and it happens when minerals leach out over time. It’s much less desirable than a bottle that still has its original shine and clarity.
- Original Labels & Seals: If an antique bottle still has its original paper label, and it’s in good shape – legible and not too damaged – that’s a big bonus. The same goes for original wax or lead seals. They tell a story and prove authenticity.
Original Content
Most of the time, when we talk about collecting antique wine bottles, we’re talking about the bottle itself. The actual wine inside might be undrinkable and doesn’t add much value to the bottle as an antique glass piece.
In fact, old wine can sometimes even damage the bottle if it leaks.
So, when does the wine matter? If the bottle contains a truly rare, famous, or historically significant vintage from a renowned winery (think super high-end Bordeaux or Port from centuries ago), then the wine inside becomes incredibly valuable.
At that point, you’re not just collecting a bottle; you’re collecting a historical wine. The wine’s quality, the fill level, and its storage history become super important.
Lastly, untouched, “full” bottles with the original seal are the most valuable ones! The seal shows the bottle hasn’t been opened or tampered with.
9. Rare Old Wine Bottles Worth Money to Find Now!
Now, let’s take a look at some rare antique wine bottles that will help you understand how the aforementioned factors really work!
1. Italian Green Demijohn Handblown Glass Wine Bottle
This is a spectacular antique Italian hand-blown glass demijohn! Demijohns were large-capacity vessels used in traditional winemaking for fermentation and storage. What makes it super valuable is that it’s totally hand-blown and imperfect.
Look for waviness, visible air bubbles, irregularities, and unevenness as a positive sign that it is a vintage hand-made bottle. This Italian bottle is a true example of the artisanal glassmaking traditions that produced vessels holding typically 5-15 gallons, making it worth the price tag of $500+!
2. Antique 17th c. Dark Green Glass Onion Wine Bottle
This is a classic “onion bottle” from the early wine bottle era. Glass onions or onion bottles were a shape of bottle developed and used during the 17th and 18th centuries. These bottles evolved from the earlier “shaft and globe” bottles and were dark green or brown (from iron oxide in the sand).
The color was further darkened by the coal used to heat the furnaces. The squat, globular shape with kick-up base was designed for stability aboard ships, where they would be laid on their sides to soak the cork. As the earliest wine bottles, these often fetch $200-$800 or more!
3. 17th-18th c. Dutch/British Dark Green Glass Wine Bottle
Similar to the previous bottle but potentially Dutch in origin, this one is part of the transition period when onion bottles most commonly were used to hold wine, but were also used for spirits.
The Dutch were pioneers in glass-making technology and produced similar bottles for their wine trade. The slightly different proportions and the higher price suggest rarity or superior condition.
4. 1800s Irish William Filgate Lissrenny Sealed Bottle
This rare Irish bottle is a vital part of the golden age of Irish whiskey from the 1800s. When the Irish ruled the whiskey world, bottles like this were hand-blown with thick green glass to protect contents from light.
The William Filgate is likely a smaller, now-forgotten distillery. The sealed nature and embossed markings make it exceptionally collectible, a true example of Ireland’s pre-Prohibition whiskey heritage when Irish whiskey had accounted for more than 60% of whiskey sales in the US in the 1800s!
5. French Wine “Cabernet” Glass Bottle Embossed
This is from the 1980s when French wineries started getting fancy with heraldic designs. The shield and sword weren’t just decorations – they were marketing, meant to remind you of all those noble châteaux with military histories, especially in Bordeaux.
Besides, the thick glass and detailed embossing cost extra to make, so only the better producers bothered, making it a high-end piece. However, since it’s not that old, the price varies!
6. 17th c. Dutch Iridescent Onion Bottle (Kattekop)
This ancient Kattetop wine bottle is from the 1600s, Can you believe that? “Kattekop” means “cat’s head” in Dutch – that’s what they called these bulbous bottles back then. All those centuries underwater gave it this incredible rainbow patina that you can’t fake.
These bottles were workhorses during Holland’s Golden Age, storing wine and spirits for Dutch maritime traders when Amsterdam ruled the seas. Finding one intact after centuries in canal mud? That’s archaeological gold; no wonder it sold for $560+! Some can fetch up to $1,000!
7. Martino Chianti Wine 32″ Green Twisted Glass Bottle
This thing is massive – 32 inches tall and holds a full gallon. This bottle is from 1967, when Italian wineries were going all-out with their presentation, especially for restaurants. That twisted spiral design? Pure Italian flair from glassmakers who knew how to make a statement.
These oversized bottles weren’t just for storage – they were conversation pieces as Italian restaurants would display them to show off their wine culture. Most of these were saved for special occasions, which is why finding one in great condition with the original labels still attached is such a big deal.
8. Rare Château Filhot/Yquem 1874 Wine Bottle
This antique bottle belongs to Chateâu Filhot, a wine estate in the sweet white wine producing region of Sauternes. The antique 1874 wine bottle is a pre-phylloxera devastation example, making it extraordinarily rare.
The genesis of Chateau Filhot in Sauternes dates to between 1630 and 1650. Romain de Filhot completed the construction of the chateau in 1709. This bottle’s proximity to Château d’Yquem, the world’s most famous dessert wine producer, makes it quite valuable!
9. Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque Champagne Display Bottle/im
This is a Salmanazar – that’s what they call a 9-liter bottle, equivalent to 12 regular bottles. Perrier-Jouët’s Belle Époque is famous for those Japanese white anemones painted on the bottle, designed by Art Nouveau master Emile Gallé back in 1902.
The 1995 bottle was particularly good – firm and vigorous with berry, honey, and citrus notes. These massive bottles were made for the ultimate celebrations, and are valuable thanks to their huge size!
Fun fact: Until 2011, this same champagne was labeled “Fleur de Champagne” in the US.
