Description:
A mid 19th Century rosewood Tunbridge ware two compartment tea caddy inlaid to the top and sides with end-grain mosaic  depicting stylized flora and having two inner lids also edged with mosaic.

Origin: UK

Circa: 1850

Materials:

Size: It measures  9 inches wide  by  5 inches deep and it is  5 inches  high including feet: 23 cm wide by 13 cm deep by 13 cm high.

Condition: good overall but some cracking and small losses. see the large pictures

See: http://www.hygra.com/material.htm#tun

The timbers used, unlike Italian Sorrento ware, were in their natural color, although sometimes this color was enhanced with chemical processes

Inside there are two compartments with supplementary lids edged with mosaic bandings.

Little of the original leading remains. 

 The top has a central panel of mosaic depicting stylized foliage inspired by Berlin woolwork and inlaid into maple. This is framed with a banding of rosewood and a banding of mosaic work. 

 There is some cracking to the maple panel of the top.

 Detail of the mosaic inlaid into the sides and front of the caddy depicting oak leaves.

 The bottom is covered in a paper which is printed with a tartan pattern.