A GEORGE III POLYCHROME-JAPANNED TOLE TEA-CADDY

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Details

A GEORGE III POLYCHROME-JAPANNED TOLE TEA-CADDY
Of bombé form, decorated overall with floral sprays of morning glories, roses, narcissi and other flowers, the moulded stepped rectangular hinged top with a central axe-head form carrying-handle flanked by a portrait of King George III wearing the Order of the Garter and Queen Charlotte in assymmetric rocaille foliate frames painted in gold on a blackened ground, enclosing a fitted part-red silk-velvet and white metal-thread lined interior with two rectangular caddies with removable lids flanking a central mixing bowl all similarly decorated with sprays of flowers, the bombé lower section above a pierced apron and on shaped bracket feet
7 in. (18 cm.) high; 9¾ in. (25 cm.) wide; 5¾ in. (14.5 cm.) deep

Provenance

Bought from Norman Adams, 6 August 1992.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

This Grecian-black japanned sarcophagus chest celebrates the reign of George III with golden flower-wreathed medallions of the King and Queen Charlotte inspired by Allan Ramsay's portraits of the early 1760s, and derived from mezzotints by Houston or J. Watson or from engravings issued by A. Walker in 1777 and 1786 (A. Smart, Allan Ramsay, London, 1999, nos. 194 and 86).
A related Pontypool tea equipage, including a sarcophagus tea-chest and trellis-fretted tea-urn is illustrated in W. D. John and A. Simcox, Pontypool and Usk Japanned Wares, Bath, 1966, pl. 13A and frontispiece).

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