Chinoiserie Silver Tea Caddy, 1858

This is a fabulous Victorian tea caddy made by one of the finest silversmithing partnerships of the period. The caddy is chased to all four sides in the Chinoiserie taste. The two larger sides are chased with a Chinese tea planter picking leaves and placing them into a woven basket. The planter is looked over by a well textured tiger's mask. The other two sides show a Chinese pagoda within a scroll framework. The hinged cover is decorated with leaves that bunch up into a finial.

This is a really superbly made silver tea caddy with many high quality features as evidence of the finest workmanship. The box is fully marked to the underside and the cover appropriately part marked - a very fine piece!