Description:
TC185:  Papier mâché two compartment tea caddy  exquisitely decorated with oriental scenes in mother of pearl and gilding, the inside with supplementary lids,  the lock stamped with "VR" for Victoria Regina, Circa 1845.

see: http://www.hygra.com/material.htm#papm 

Origin: Circa 1845:  Materials: Papier mâché 

Size: It measures  8.1 inches wide  by  5.5 inches deep and it is  5.3 inches  high including feet: 20.6 cm wide by 14 cm deep by 13.5 cm high.

Condition: good overall,  working lock and key,  There is some cracking of the papier mâchè near the hinges.  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. 

Papier mâché was the result of attempts made by European craftsmen to produce a material with distinctive qualities: it could be carved and worked like wood, be durable and malleable and take a finish to at least rival oriental lacquer.

The oriental scenes are executed with inlaid mother of pearl and gold paint. 

The shell is carefully chosen and cut so that both its translucency and striation contribute to the luminescent quality of the scene. 

The back of the caddy gives the impression of a small boat gliding . The sheen of the mother of pearl and the fine gold strokes, suggest a moonlit night.

The painting and composition is of exceptionally fine quality, which suggests the work of the artist Alsager or another one of the trained artists who decorated important pieces. Alsager developed a reputation for utilising the quality of mother of pearl to maximum effect both by choosing pieces for their exceptional sheen value and cutting them at angles to produce shade and shade for dramatic results. 

 Inside there are two  lidded  compartments .

 The lock is stamped  "VR" with a crown for  Victoria Regina.

 The caddy retains much of its original leading within the tea compartments.

The top of the caddy follows chinoiserie conventions: an exotic building on a small island, a small boat with figures and huge flowers which bear no relevance to perspective. In short, a magical landscape. 

Detail of the building and the undulating plant which suggests a palm tree on a flower thin stem. The work is exceptionally fine.

The underside with four feet.