Earliest foil capsules

[uncle tom]

After buying three undated bottles yesterday, with very ancient glass and foil capsules, I got to thinking "when did foil capsules first appear?"

Looking through my cellar, the oldest foils that are reliably original date from 1904 (1906 bottling date). I also have some Andresen 1884's with foils, but these are probably Colheitas, and may have been bottled later.

- Any older foils out there? (or evidence of them..)

Tom

[Alex Bridgeman]

There is a reference in the Barchester Chronicles to one of the characters in the mid- late 19th century reaching for "the bottle with the green foil" meaning a bottle of Taylor port.