Description:
TC138: A continental pearwood tea caddy decorated with cut steel. Circa 1820-1840.

The cut steel pins are faceted and jewel-like. Cut steel was used in the late 18th Century for jewelry and precious objects. The pins are faceted like precious stones 

Origin: Circa: 1820-1840 Materials: pearwood and steel.

Size: It measures 7.1 inches wide  by  4.7 inches deep and it is 4 inches  high:  18 cm wide by 12 cm deep by 10 cm high. 

Condition: good overall,  some cracking to the veneer see images.
As each person has different criteria and antiques by their very nature have wear  please enlarge the images and ask for extra information as needed. 

There are further pictures of this caddy at: http://www.hygra.com/tc2/bxfrsteel.htm  

The inlaid escutcheon is ebony.

Detail top: There is a "W" written in the faceted steel pins.

Cut steel work developed in Russia but became very popular in France during the 19th Century for the decoration of Palais Royal boxes.

See: page 245 Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies, and Society -- 1700--1880, ISBN: 0764316885  Antigone Clarke & Joseph O'Kelly, A Schiffer Book for collectors.