 |
ANTIQUE BOXES
at the Sign of the Hygra 2 Middleton Road London E8 4BL Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7254 7074 email: boxes@hygra.com |
1760 -1900 by ANTIGONE Tea Caddies and Tea |
| Tea Caddies and Tea |
Home |
|
Contents |
Up |
Thumbs |
|
|||||||||||
| A Fine Regency Penwork Two Compartment Tea Caddy circa 1815 |
| A fine Regency two compartment Penwork Tea caddy decorated all over
with exotic penwork scenes on a sycamore ground and standing on
embossed gilded brass paw feet .
Circa 1815. Penwork and painted caddies are
very rare. |
 |
| The caddy is in good original condition.
It has a working lock and key. "Penwork" is sometimes referred to as "pen and ink". It measures 9.5 inches wide by 6 inches deep and it is 6.75 tall including feet: 24 cm wide by 15 cm deep and it is 17cm tall including the feet. Front view: |
The front is decorated with one of the classic penwork scenes: a camel train accompanied by horses and traders
|
|
|
 |
End views:
The caddy has lion drop handles.
|
|
 |
The back of the caddy is decorated with a scene of a trading caravan with an then exotic elephant. This is one of the "classic" penwork compositions. |
 |
The caddy stands on gilded paw feet |
| The shaped top is decorated with a perfusion of stylized foliage. |  |
| The pyramided shape is inspired by the images and
knowledge which were currently coming from Egypt
|
For the most part this caddy retains its original varnish.
As can be seen there is some pitting and wear. |
 |
The inside is as decorated as the outside.
It contains two lift out canisters
which are decorated with further scenes and which retain some of the original
lead lining. |
 |
Even the sides of the canisters are decorated. They do show some wear.
The complexity of the caddy construction can be seen here. The compartment for the canisters is lined with red velvet, which has helped to protect the the penwork on the sides of the canisters. The facings are a dark brown colour. |
 |
A caddy spoon by E Morley London 1801 fits the unusual space between the canisters: |
|
 |
Detail of the penwork on the lids of the two canisters |
 |
The camel's expression says it all.
Notice the crackle in the finish, which indicates the original 1815 varnish. |
|
|
|
|
