First developed towards the end of the 17th Century, wine funnels were a necessity for decanting wines from the cask to the decanter. Examples from this period are very rare, with the main period for production being toward the end of the Georgian period, as wine drinking became more common. Early examples are typically plain in style, with later pieces being more decorative and of heavier gauge. Good condition 18th Century examples, and those by certain silversmiths, are the most sought after today.