Description:
TC541: Inlaid mahogany two compartment  tea caddy circa 1790. The top and front have  central  oval marquetry medallions depicting  conch shells. Inside there are two compartments with supplementary lids with turned bone pulls. in the 18th century manner the lids do not have supports but would be expected to sit on the tea. The orchestration of the inlays is complex. The top has the central cartouche inlaid in a panel of well figured flame mahogany. This is framed by inlaid stringing in light and dark woods and a cross banding of mahogany. The caddy is edged in boxwood having facings to the bottom and the lid. The caddy stands on cast gilded brass feet.

Origin: UK  Circa: 1790 Materials: Mahogany and other woods on a pine carcass.

 

Size: It measures 7.6 inches wide  by 4.7 inches deep and it is 5.5 inches  high including feet: 19.2 cm wide by12 cm deep by 14 cm high.

Condition: good overall,  working lock and key,  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. 

The mitered facings are in contrasting boxwood and a darkened wood.  If only one colour of wood was used for the facings, the line, when the box is closed would look too wide. 

The compartments still retain some of their original leading.

The lids would have rested on top of the tea . 

The oval cartouches inlaid to  the top and  the front  depict  conch shells. The shell is reminiscent of Britania's then rule of the waves. 

The designs are sharply defined and subtly shaded with the hot sand technique. The shading is achieved by dipping the separate elements making up the inlay into hot sand or molten lead.

 Corner detail: mitered mahogany cross banding, edged with boxwood, alternate lines of boxwood and ebony, and a chevron pattern in box and rosewood (?) to the top. 

The shell was a popular motif in the late 18th century, redolent of the sea and England's naval supremacy. 

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