Object Description
An excellent George III mahogany tea caddy of traditional form, having an original red silk lined lid and a brass carrying handle. The interior comprises of three vacant compartments for tea canisters in front of a narrow full width vacant compartment for a bombilla. The whole is raised on period ogee bracket feet and the lid has brass stop hinges. It is fitted with a lock and key in working condition. It is made of fine quality well grained mahogany, in completely original condition and has a good rich colour and patination.
Bombillas are a type of drinking straw used to drink mate. Traditional bombillas are made of metal alloys such as an alloy of copper and nickel called alpaca silver or German silver, stainless steel and 800 silver, which is used to construct the filter and stem, sometimes combined with a gold plated head. Low end bombillas are made from hollow stemmed cane. Silver bombillas are popular and in recent times, the traditional silver bombillas are being replaced by ones made from stainless steel. Mate is a traditional South American caffeine rich infused herbal drink.