A Large Tunbridge Ware Double Compartment & Tea Bowl Caddy with Recumbent Stag Motif c1865

Description

Heading : A Large Tunbridge Ware – Double Box & Tea Bowl Caddy with Recumbent Stag Motif
Date : c1865
Period : Victoria
Origin : Tunbridge Wells. Kent (attrib. Henry Hollamby)
Decoration : A low pillow-shaped lid. with curvature applied to all the elements; a central golden satinwood panel surrounds a mosaic of a recumbent stag with an unusual irregular border; two rectangular panels to each side. both containing mandorla-shaped satinwood reserves around mosaics of berry-laden branches; all these elements are surrounded by a wool-work style oak leaf border. and are separated by banded and continuous keylines; to the four sides of the lids. a narrow roseate pattern within continuous keylines; the rosewood body has four concave sides. with a continuous. wide rose and leaf wool-work frieze within banded and continous keylines; a flat. circular satinwood escutcheon to the keyhole. 

Internally: the lid with a satinwood reserve and banded keyline around a mosaic of roses and poppies; all within a geometric band; two separate lift out boxes; both with hinged lids; one with a smaller version of the rose/poppy design. the other with oak leaves and acorns. both within geometric bands; these fit in to unlined recesses; there is a deep. round. central recess. lined with red velvet. purportedly to accommodate a tea bowl (missing); the whole being raised on four turned stickwork bun feet.
Size :  38.0 cm wide x 22.0 cm deep x 18.1 cm high
Condition : Outstanding; very few missing tesserae . which is a surprise bearing in mind just how many there are which could be lost ! the body is sound with a few minor bumps and bruises externally. with little or no damage to the inside; the two lift-out boxes have wear-marks to their lacquered surfaces from being removed and replaced from their wells; the original red velvet lining to the bowl recess is not 100% adhered to the surface.
Restoration : None.The box has been professionally cleaned and polished.
Weight :  2560 grams

Note: This is a substantial. exceptionally good-looking tea caddy and has only very minor blemishes; the two internal lift-out hinged boxes are identically proportioned and are quite obviously original to this pattern of box; however. the inclusion of the oak and acorn version – with most of the other elements having rose-based designs – may indicate that it has been drafted in from. or mixed up with. another example at some point; they both have roman numerals scratched on the tin foil to the inside of their lids – ‘v’ for the roses and ‘viii’ for the oak leaves. again suggesting they may not be an ‘original’ pair; the geometric bands on each are also different. That said. there is an oak-leaf border to the top of the lid. and the stag in full antlered splendour – along with the fruits – would suggest an autumnal scene. so perhaps it is an intentional mix. This type of box is generally attributed to Henry Hollamby. particularly given his fancy for oak-leaf designs and the prominent use of the deer. which was also one of his preferred motifs.