This decanter is decorated with wheel-engraved stars and banding prevalent among the neoclassically inspired glasswares produced at the end of the eighteenth century. It may have been among the goods purchased by George Washington during the presidency and taken to Mount Vernon when he retired. Before being brought to the table, the wines Washington favored - such as madeira, claret, and port - were poured into decanters in order to remove sediment and to allow them to breathe. Decanters were also used to serve a variety of other alcoholic beverages, from punch and cordials to beer and distilled liquors.