Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy with Eridge Castle Mosaic c1865

Description

Heading :Tunbridge Ware – A Two Compartment Tea Caddy with Eridge Castle Mosaic

Date : c1865
Period : Victorian
Origin : Tunbridge Wells; England – Hollamby or Geo.Wise Jr
Decoration : rectangular box with a hinged. round topped and square ended lid; this has a somewhat simplified version of one of Hollamby’s Eridge Castle mosaics set within a golden satinwood reserve; surrounded by a seven-square geometric border with banded and continuous keyline stringing. Birdseye maple veneers to the sides of the body which also has a floral Berlin wool-work frieze – rather indistinct. but featuring roses and other pieces; lined with dark. embossed paper to the base and red paper to the inside of the lid; the two caddy compartments have simple lift-off lids which sit on batons. with small turned handles; much of the ‘foil’ lining is intact. The most interesting feature is the use of a band of miniature vanDyke triangles. edged with very small banded keylines around the four square sides of the lid. It is this feature which indicates the production of the piece being from one of the two sources named above – we would favour the latter given the simplified nature of the Eridge Castle image and the lack of any other elements common with Hollamby’s work. That said. Hollamby took over the Wise manufactory in 1858. and may well have used up pre-made pieces of the Wise vanDykes – already extant – to decorate new boxes – another layer of confusion !
Size : 19.0 cm x 10.2 cm x 10.7 cm
Condition : Very Good; there are some stains to the lid and some bumps and bruises. particularly to the lower edges of the body; the base lacks the more usual edge strips. being entirely flush-finished. which has undoubtedly rendered the unprotected edges more prone to damage
Restoration : none
Weight :  457 grams