Student wine sellers in three houses--Adams. Quincy, and Mather--will be closed down this week following yesterday's notification from the Alcoholic Beverages Commission and the Cambridge Police that the practice is illegal.

All House Masters were informed of the directive at a meeting last night, according to F. Skiddy Von Stade, Master of Mather House.

The Alcoholic Beverages Commission, according to Executive Director George Nelson, received a complaint about the practice earlier in the week. Nelson refused to disclose the origin of the complaint.

"We had no choice but to inform Harvard," he said, "since the practice is clearly illegal."

Daniel Steiner '54, General Counsel to the University, said he wasn't aware of the selling of wine to students until this morning when several House Masters called to ask him about it.

"No one had brought it to my attention before, but since it is illegal to sell alcohol to minors, the practice will have to be discontinued," Steiner said.

"Quincy House has had a long tradition of winetasting," Charles W. Dunn, Master of Quincy House, said yesterday. "Students have been selling wines in connection with the Quincy House Winetasting Society for at least the past five years," he said.

Wines have been sold in connection with the Mather House Wine Society and the Adams Wine Society since last year.

"There seemed to be a tacit agreement between the City and Harvard to overlook it since no hard liquor was sold," one tutor said.

According to Phylis McGlaughlin of the Cambridge Licensing Commission, Harvard has never applied for a liquor license.

Wouldn't Even Consider

"We wouldn't even consider such an application if they made one since they are selling to minors," she said.

Wine sold through the Houses is supplied by Berenson's Liquor Mart of Boston. They provide the wine at case price and students selling the wine make a small profit.

Cambridge Police Chief James Reagen said yesterday that his department will look into the illegal sale of wines but refused to comment on whether any legal action would be taken.

"Since we are stopping the practice immediately I would assume they won't prosecute," Steiner said.

Charles U. Daly, Vice President for Community Affairs, commented philosophically on the administration's decision to close down the wine sellers, "I wonder what students will do now that they can't sell wine or condoms.