The Swan with Two Necks
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The emblem of the Vintners' Company, and an old tavern sign. Necks is a corruption of Nicks.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Swan with Two Necks” mean?
The emblem of the Vintners' Company, and an old tavern sign. Necks is a corruption of Nicks.
Is “The Swan with Two Necks” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.