(4) Charles Thomae & Son Sterling Silver Liquor Tags - 1.575 ozt. Identical designs, with a different word on each: Sherry, Brandy, Cordial, and Scotch. Marked on backs. 

Size: 2 x 4 in. 

Weight: 1.575 ozt. 

By the mid-18th Century gin had become so popular in the United Kingdom that it was cheaper to purchase than beer. Improved trade relations with the Near East had also introduced vodka to the population, and after the Excise Act of 1823 passed legalizing the production of Scotch whisky these three types of liquor came to dominate the market. Prior to the emergence of the Temperance Movement which sought futile attempts at Prohibition, regulations on bottling and distilling were loose, and often purely regional, without any international standards established. As such, gin, vodka, and whisky were often simply brought in large vats or barrels to an establishment and then emptied into whatever vessels they had. As the Victorian Era progressed and the growing middle class became more discerning about what they chose to imbibe, distilleries began to develop their own bottle shapes and sizes, developing brand recognition and self-regulation simultaneously. Many shops, stores, and joints continued to purchase their liquor in mass quantities, however, and created unique labels, insignias, and tags to signify to their customers what they were going to drink, allowing patrons to simply point to the bottle of their preferred libation.

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