Two Compartment Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy Dover Castle c1870

Description

Heading : Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy with Rounded lid Depicting Dover Castle
Date : c1870
Period : Victorian
Origin : Tunbridge Wells; England (attrib. Henry Hollamby – see below)
Decoration : The rounded and square-ended lid features a mosaic image of Dover Castle set within Golden Satinwood; it is bound by a seven-square geometric band which is in turn within sets of two continuous and one banded keyline; the flat sides of the lid have a five-square geometric band with two pairs of continuous keylines. There is a broad Berlin Woolwork floral mosaic frieze within pairs of banded and continuous keylines which extends around the four concave sides of the body; Internally. the lids of both internal compartments have five-square geometric bands to all four edges within pairs of continuous keylines and small turned handles. The lids sit on ledged-edges of the compartments. which are still partially lined with the original tin foil. The base is lined with plain. dark red paper. There is a flush-fitted stickwork escutcheon to the keyhole. which accommodates a working key
Size : 11.5cm high – 18.1cm wide – 12.6 deep 
Condition : Very good with regard to tile completeness. with the only instances of contiguous tesserae being absent are on the curved corners of the body. through the floral frieze; very slight bumps and bruises to the edges of the base. entirely commensurate with age; very good internally
Restoration : Professionally cleaned and polished; a thin strip which had been lost across the full width of the front rim of the lid has been expertly replaced. and one corner of the base may also have been repaired at some point
Weight : 524g

Notes : Pieces of this style are generally attributed to Henry Hollamby; he is also credited with the production of the ‘original’ versions of many topographic images (based on watercolours. some of which are held by the museum in Tunbridge Wells) – Dover Castle is included amongst the catalogue of these designs. as listed by the Furniture History Society.