ThePortForum.com

DRT wrote: ↑11:55 Sun 06 Feb 2022

JacobH wrote: ↑15:32 Sun 30 Jan 2022 I think these sorts of things are really interesting. Especially for the non-vintage wines since I think we have much less of an understanding about what non-vintage Port used to be available before the modern categories came in.

I have lots of these old price lists which were accumulated as part of the research for The Book. I will dig out some interesting ones and post images for those interested. I must say this Allnutt's price let is quite exceptional!

In the thread linked to above I mentioned that I had lots of old wine merchant price lists that some others here might find interesting.

The first four are posted below. Others will follow in due course.

J. C. Childs & Co. of 346 Eighth Avenue, New York. Undated but with a very amusing description of the formats they supplied.
Perhaps JDAW should approach the IVDP to see whether or not this could become the norm?

Fergusons Limited, July 1922, with a branch very close to where one of our founding members lives today.
A pipe or two of Cockburn 1908 at 12/6 per dozen would be very welcome

W & A Gilbey, circa 1900. Although undated, the youngest wine listed is an Invalid Champagne from the 1898 vintage. Very kindly, the merchant confirms that the bottles are included in the price of the wines.

Victoria Wine Company, Summer 1961.
This price list includes Port-style ("Rich") wines from South Africa, Cyprus and "British", whatever than means.

These are wonderful… thank you for posting Derek.

As i have mentioned a few times on , I would like to get a better sense on what non-Vintage Ports were historically available before the modern categories (Ruby, Tawny, TWIOA etc.) came in.

I appreciate that Julian, Derek and perhaps others have spent a lot of time in archives looking at all sorts of Port-related records.

Might I therefore tap the collective wisdom to ask: has anyone come across an archives or libraries where one might find an easily-accessible good run of pre-modern price lists? I’m more than happy to do the hard work of locating this sort of thing myself, but if (for example) someone had found a run of BBR or Nickolls and Perks lists in the London Metropolitan Library, the British Library or something & I could use that short-circuit that initial investigation, I’d be very grateful.

I have lots and am willing to help.

This will not surprise anyone who has met him but Julian has helped me to the extent that he has short-circuited what I anticipated would have been about 6 months’ worth of visiting archives. Thank you very much.