PLAQUEMUSEPHILIA!      

Not a pastime of the Marquis de Sade, but rather the hobby of collecting champagne bottle tops (plaques de muselet). A kind of been there, drunk that!

At least you've got something to show for all the money you've spent. And more practical than saving the empties.

History of the Champagne cork

Before the end of the XVII century end, Champagne bottles were stopped with a piece of wood wrapped in flax or hemp, and hermetically retained by sealing wax.

Then someone had the idea to use a cork stopper tied up with string made of hemp, but the string was often affected by mildew, with inevitable explosions and wasted wines in the cellars. In 1844, Adolphe Jacquesson patented the metal capsule and wiring, two major innovations in the world of Champagne.

At first the metal plaques were just plain. In 1906 Pol Roger put the vintage year onto their plaques. Gradually, other manufacturers realized that they could use the small metal disc for promotional purposes, so the House's Coats of Arms and trade marks began to be printed on the tops.

Today, with technological innovations in printing and stamping, some plaques de muselet really are small works of art. Check out these examples on some plaquemusephiliacs' websites: