Oval Star Marsala Label, 1837

There are three points of interest to this silver wine label that makes it stand out from the crowd. Firstly, it is a very scarce form of label - an oval star; the star is elegantly decorated with engraving and each of the 24 points highlighted. Secondly, the label is engraved for the scarce name of "Marsala". And finally, the TE maker's mark for Thomas Edwards which is rarely encountered on bottle tickets. The label is in excellent condition throughout.

Marsala is a dry or sweet wine, produced in the region surrounding the Italian city of Marsala in Sicily. While the city's natives sometimes drink "vintage" Marsala, the wine produced for export is universally fortified similar to Port, Madeira and Sherry. Originally, this addition of alcohol was to ensure that it would last on long ocean voyages, but now it is made that way because of its popularity in foreign markets.