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This thread was named “Christie’s auction on Monday 3rd June 1878”, but has been renamed to “Christie’s auctions” so that it can hold a wider variety of extracts from that source. — jdaw1

On Monday 3^rd June 1878 was a wine auction at Christie, Manson & Woods. Lot 208, “the Property of H. J. Garcia, Esq., removed from 28, Charles Street, Berkeley Square”, was “One Dozen of Port (Overend, Gurney, and Co., 1867) (ʟ 10); and Eleven Bottles of Port (Overend, Gurney, and Co., 1867) (Bin 13 ʙ), more or less”. Sold at 52/- per dozen, so £4.19.8. (My pictures 18814/15/22-4).

Fascinating. I thought that Overend, Gurney and Company was famous for being the centre of a major financial smash. I did not know that it also dealt in Port.

Perhaps more fascinating to me than to others.

Perhaps more fascinating to you than to others, but still a very interesting snippet of the history of the port trade that we know and love. Please don't stop posting simply because you doubt our interest.

I find them interesting. And as has been found on the '1931 Noval undrinkable' thread sometimes these will lie dormant for a while and then flare anew with controversy.

LGTrotter wrote:I find them interesting. And as has been found on the '1931 Noval undrinkable' thread sometimes these will lie dormant for a while and then flare anew with controversy.

Only now that you're back Owen, and have roused us from our hibernation

djewesbury wrote:

LGTrotter wrote:I find them interesting. And as has been found on the '1931 Noval undrinkable' thread sometimes these will lie dormant for a while and then flare anew with controversy.

Only now that you're back Owen, and have roused us from our hibernation

Bless you Daniel. However even my loquacity cannot cause controversy unaided.

This and the following two posts were in a thread entitled “The Docks”, but have been merged with the recently renamed “Christie’s auctions” thread. — jdaw1

Auction, by Messrs. Christie, Manson & Woods, on 9 June 1880, of “150 Dozens of Port Of the Vintages of 1851, 1858, and 1870; and 50 Dozens of Claret, Chateau Margaux, and Lafite of 1865, The Property of John Boustead, Esq., of Wimbledon”. Lots 155 to 162 totalled 23⅓ “Dozens of Port, Vintage 1851, Sandeman, bottled in the docks, 1854          Bin C 3”, and sold at 43/- and 42/- per dozen. (My picture #18890/900-1.)

How hygienic were “the docks”? How hygienic were the docks in 1854? Florence Nightingale learnt the importance of hygiene in November 1854: a lesson unlikely to have reached “the docks” in time for this bottling. I recall us blaming a bad Dow 1970 on an unhygienic bottling line. But could Berry Bros in 1972 really have been muckier than “the docks” in 1854?

The docks, eh?

(Minor correction following this post.)

The docks. I have seen some stuff about how the docks worked for wine imports in the mid C19. Was it T.G. Shaw I wonder? I shall look into it as soon as time permits.

The docks were often used to store wine until it was sold as it saved the importer from paying tax before being paid for the wine. That practice evolved into the bond system we know and love today. A.L. Simon's History of the Wine Trade in England contains detailed descriptions of this sort of thing going back to the middle ages. Now that was when things were really mucky!

Pass the leeches.

Auction, by Messrs. Christie Manson & Woods, on 12 December 1894, of “The Property of D. Irvine, Esq., of Poets’ Corner, Westminster, whose house is coming down for the extension of Westminster Abbey”. Of all the reasons to sell one’s cellar!

Lots 138 to 149 totalled just over 59 “Dozen Half-Bottles of Port, 1881, Martinez, bottled by Gammage & Co., 1885”, and sold at 30/- to 22/- per dozen. Gammage & Co.? New to me.

(Pictures 19834/46-7.)

Auction, by Messrs. Christie, Manson & Woods, on 6 June 1899, “The Property of Hamar Bass, Esq., M.P., deceased”, lots 156 to 166 totalling 46¼ “Dᴏᴢᴇɴꜱ ᴏꜰ Nᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ Pᴏʀᴛ, bottled 1897, G. Nicholas & Son, specially imported for the late Mr. Bass”. Sold at 19/- to 22/- per dozen, about a third of the then price of young V.P. There were also lots of the same bottled 1896.

Wikipedia: Hamar Alfred Bass (30 July 1842 – 8 April 1898) was a British brewer, race horse breeder and a Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1878 to 1898.

Pictures 20229-32.

On 12 May 1899, “Red Australian Wine”, “Victoria, “St. Hubert Imperial,” Gold Medal Vineyard, bottled 1892”. Picture 20223.

On 15 May 1900, “Algerian Wine, home bottled, slightly ullaged”. Picture 20387.

jdaw1 wrote:Dᴏᴢᴇɴꜱ ᴏꜰ Nᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ Pᴏʀᴛ

I wonder what the word natural means in this context. Had it been four decades earlier it might have implied that the wine was unfortified. In the later 19th century it might simply mean to convey that it has no adulterous substances added to it, regardless of whether or not it did.

DRT wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:Dᴏᴢᴇɴꜱ ᴏꜰ Nᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ Pᴏʀᴛ

I wonder what the word natural means in this context. Had it been four decades earlier it might have implied that the wine was unfortified. In the later 19th century it might simply mean to convey that it has no adulterous substances added to it, regardless of whether or not it did.

I suspect unfortified — made slightly more plausible by the special importation.

jdaw1 wrote:“The Property of Hamar Bass, Esq., M.P., deceased”. Hamar Alfred Bass (30 July 1842 – 8 April 1898)

This is rather poignant, down to the cold detail of the port being sold in 1899, one year after his death. Presumably to allow time for probate. "The paths of glory lead but to the grave".

Auction, by Messrs. Christie Manson & Woods, on 7 February 1901, “The Cellar of Wines of James Corry Sherrard, Esq., J.P., deceased, late of No. 7 Oxford Square, W.”, lot 27 being 2½ dozen “ᴏꜰ Sᴘᴀɴɪꜱʜ Pᴏʀᴛ, 1899”, sold at 17/- per dozen to “Matthews”. (My picture 20444.)

Spanish Port?!

Auction, by Messrs. Christie Manson & Woods, on 11 June 1901, “Wines, Belonging To Isabella, Countess Howe, from the Cellars at Gopsall, Atherstone, Leicestershire; Penn House, Amersham, Bucks; and Curzon House, Curzon Street, W.”. Lots 117 and 188 totalled 6⅓ “Dᴏᴢᴇɴꜱ ᴏꜰ Lɪꜱʙᴏɴ Pᴏʀᴛ”, sold at 17/- and 19/- per dozen. (My picture 20500.)

Lisbon Port?!

Lot 119, very mixed, include both “White Port” and “Natural Port”.

Auction, by Messrs. Christie Manson & Woods, on 24 June 1901: Overstock of sixty thousand bottles: what a problem to have.

Interesting. This is a very public display by the Crown. I wonder what precipitated it and what the public reaction of the day was? A show of austerity followed by public praise in The Daily Mail? Possibly not.

Or the new King dumping mother’s tat.

They sure must have drunk a lot back then. The NHS would not be happy.

Andy Velebil wrote:They sure must have drunk a lot back then.

Actually, they didn’t, which is why there were so many bottles left over.

Andy Velebil wrote:They sure must have drunk a lot back then. The NHS would not be happy.

You cannot serve 300 dignitaries a couple of glasses of Port at the end of a banquet twenty times per year from a double magnum of Sandeman Vau. You need lots.

jdaw1 wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote:They sure must have drunk a lot back then.

Actually, they didn’t, which is why there were so many bottles left over.

At some point they must have since they bought it all intending at the time it would be drunk. Obviously, At some point later their better halves must have stepped in.

Something that can be construed as a statistical comment on cork quality.

Auction, by Messrs. Christie Manson & Woods, on 1 May 1902, “The Cellar of Wines of Arthur Egginton, Esq., of South Ella, E. Yorks”, lot 96 being “Three Dozen and Six Bottles of Port, Croft’s, vintage 1834, bottled by Liddle, more or less (of which 2 dozen are ullaged)”, the quantity corrected in hand to 3 dozen and 5 bottles, and sold at 36/- per dozen. (Pictures 20567-68/74-75.)

Yes. Interesting. How low needs the fill level get to be noted as ullaged. 68 years old. How ullaged would we expect 60 70 year old port to be now?