A cellarette (spelled cellaret in Britain) is a hinged, portable cabinet that is used to store wine or liquor bottles, and thus the nod to the wine cellar in the name. These pieces are traditionally made of wood and the interior is typically lined with metal or lead. Some examples are compartmentalised, and they are frequently equipped with a lock. The term cellarette can also refer to a metal-lined compartment or deep tray for bottles within a sideboard, liquor cabinet, or mini-bar.Cellarettes were developed around 1700, but flourished in the late 1700’s and well into the 1800’s. It was common to find them on display in the dining rooms of the day. They could be ornately decorated or carved and came in a variety of shapes. The earliest varieties of cellarettes resembled chests or barrels. They often stood on tall legs equipped with castors to assist with portability from room to room as needed. Later, with the rise of Neo-Classical styles around the turn of the 1700's, sarcophagus shapes—often resting on elaborate paw feet—became more common. In the 1700's, cellarettes progressively grew taller to accommodate taller wine bottles.
