Rare Regency Architectural Pressed Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy

About the Item

Pressed Tortoiseshell Design From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Regency Architectural Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of bombe form with flared base, canted corners and pagoda top finished with silver stringing and a rare pressed architectural design to the front, sides and rear. The exterior of the Tea Caddy is finished with a rectangular silver vacant initial plaque. matching escutcheon and four silver ball feet. The interior of the Tea Caddy features two Tortoiseshell veneered lids with turned bone handles with the body faced in further tortoiseshell. The Tea Caddy dates to the Regency period and early 19th century during the reign of Prince Regent George circa 1815 and is an extremely rare example in the pressed architectural form. Regency is an era of British history between 1811 and 1820. The Regency era was initiated by King George III first suffered a debilitating illness in the late 1780s. He relapsed into his mental illness in 1810 and by the Regency Act in 1811 his eldest son George, Prince of Wales, was appointed prince regent to discharge royal functions. When George III died in 1820, the Prince Regent succeeded him as George IV. Tortoiseshell describes a type of decorative material made from the shells of certain species of sea turtles. The shells of these turtles are composed of a hard, glossy substance called keratin, which can be cut and shaped into a variety of decorative items. Tortoiseshell has been used for centuries to make a range of decorative objects, including combs, brush handles, and other small items. It is also sometimes used to make tea caddies, as it is strong, durable, and can be polished to a high shine. The term “tortoiseshell” is used to describe these decorative items, even though they are made from the shells of sea turtles because the term has been used historically to refer to this material. Measurements (centimetres) 15cm High x 20cm Wide x 13cm Deep

Dimensions:

Height: 5.91 in (15.02 cm)Width: 7.87 in (19.99 cm)Depth: 5.12 in (13.01 cm)

Style:

Regency (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Shell,Hand-Crafted,Veneer

Place of Origin:

United Kingdom

Period:

1810-1819

Date of Manufacture:

Circa 15