Solid Glass Bell Decanter Stopper No. 1

SOLD

Big solid glass bell decanter stopper. Colorless, will go well with any large decanter, jug or bottle.

Solid glass bell decanter stopper measures 4 1/8″ long. See image for exact measurements.

In excellent condition. Beautiful clarity. We have another bell stopper which is slightly larger than this one.

To determine if your stopper will fit your bottle:

Replacing missing stoppers is tricky. A good fit is essential. The measurements must match perfectly to the bottle neck opening in order to seal the air out and sit upright (without wiggling). Replaced stoppers are referred to as “married”, meaning the stopper is not original to the bottle.

• Measure the inner diameter of bottle neck opening. Use a soft tape measure to determine the width of the top opening. Measure the open space only, between the bottle neck opening. Do not include the glass rim of the bottle neck.
• The stopper’s ‘insert top’ (see image with measurements) should match the inner diameter (width) of the bottle neck opening exactly or just very slightly smaller. You can use your soft measuring tape to encircle the inner top opening to obtain the circumference.
• Most decanter bottle necks taper slightly down toward the vessel, resulting in a smaller neck measurement than the bottle neck opening. You should know the length of the insert. The insert is the portion of the stopper that enters the bottle neck opening.
• Take the measurement of the stopper’s insert length, from base to top of insert, and use your soft tape measure to determine where the stopper base will rest in your bottle neck. The stopper’s ‘insert base’ should measure exactly or just very slightly smaller than the measurement of the area of the bottle neck where it will rest when inserted.

Most stoppers made for the decanters from the past have a ground area encircling the stopper base. These stoppers have been ‘ground to fit’ by the maker for the exact bottle they were made for. If you know how to grind glass, or know someone who does, you can have your stopper altered to fit your bottle. This can be done only with stopper inserts that are slightly larger than the bottle neck.

Trying to get a perfect ‘marriage’ between a vintage glass decanter and replacement stopper is not easy. Often, even when the measurements match up, the stopper will tend to lean or wiggle. If your decanter is for decor purposes only, and you do not plan on using it as a decanter, you can put a small blob of putty or wax on the inner neck of the bottle to stabilize the stopper.

Click here to view all the marriageable stoppers available at Retro Art Glass.