Antique Chinese Export Porcelain Tea Caddy W/Original Lid 1775 - 90 18th Century
Item History & Price
Antique Chinese Export Porcelain Tea Caddy w/Original Lid 1775-90 18th Century. This beautiful tea caddy is in nearly perfect condition. It has a glossy white body with gold and red scalloped rope design painted all the way around the upper main body with famille rose details on all four sides. The main decoration on the body, on both sides, is a red, black and gold heraldic looking crest featuring a red and gold floral center with a black and red bird with red and gold flowers in it's... beak, standing on a black and gold branch or finial. The whole thing is surrounded by a circle of red and gold scalloping that is very detailed and beautifully hand painted. The sloped shoulders have retained some of the original gold edge detail. It also has a green, red and black scallop with gold dots along the edges of the shoulder. The original lid has most of it's gold edge and features the same deco as the caddy's shoulders and upper body deco. The finial is a berry with two leaves and a stem. The finial retains approximately 50% of the original gold. The lid has no chips or damage. There are a few tiny cracks at the base of the finial berry that are original from the manufacturer and aren't damage, just a flaw in production. The neck has a very minor hairline crack, which is the only damage to the entire tea caddy.The family story is that this was brought home by a great great (etc) grandfather who was a ships captain out of New York in the late 18th century, where my entire family is originally from. He supposedly sailed the trade routes to China and this came home with him on one of his trips. Even if that story is exaggerated, this tea caddy has been in my family since it was new. My family is full of branches that date back to the mid and late 18th century in America. My Aunt Judy, from whom this came to me via, and many other women in my family, were all in the DAR.It measures 5.5" talk without the lid and 6.25" with the lid. It is 3.5" wide and 1.5" deep.Shipped with USPS Retail Ground.
