Antique 19th Century English Tole Tea Caddy Floral Toleware Tea Canister Circa 1850

A beautiful tole painted metal tea caddy from the mid 19th century. This early Victorian example was produced in either the Pontypool or the Midlands area of England which were the main areas for the production of Japanned tole ware since the 18th century.

Toleware was a complicated manufacturing process that produced items of tin plated iron that once decorated in the black ground colour and varnished, imitated imported Chinese and Japanese lacquer wares. Several layers of specially invented varnish (called Japanning) made the items both beautiful and extremely hard wearing. A vast array of both useful and highly decorative products were made using varying decorative techniques from snuff boxes, to counter trays, spice tins to tea caddies, coal buckets to large tea trays.

Our tea caddy is of double size with integral key hole (key lacking). Having the usual black background with painted Victorian flowers of blue Convolvulus and dog roses, pretty gilt scrolls adorn the sides and a speckling of gilt leaf glows from behind each floral spray. Having also retained its original four bun feet.

Size: 6 1/4 inch tall (16 cm) by 8 inch wide (20.5 cm) by 4 3/4 inch through (12 cm)

Condition: This rare survivor is time worn. You can see surface abrasion to the hand painted floral designs, some slight surface rusting along the bottom step. Lacking key. A very small bounce back to the lid when you push it tight shut, on the left corner.

ITEM ID:14326