Object Description
A very stylish and unusual Doulton Lambeth Art Nouveau silver mounted mottoware tea caddy by renowned artist Eleanor Tosen and dating from around 1897. The square and elegantly shaped stoneware tea caddy stands on a skirted square foot with unglazed base with the lower body and edges applied with stylized thistle style flowers and leaves with the widening upper body applied with heart shaped panels set with raised scroll edging with with a narrow funnel shaped top applied with a silver rim with a tight fitting slightly domed silver cover. One panel bears a motto in a white slip outline against a mottled brown glazed ground reading ‘As you like it.’ To the opposite side a similar patterned panel is applied with shield shaped silver vacant cartouche. The body of the caddy and lower decoration is hand decorated in tones of blue, brown, green and white and the caddy bears impressed makers marks to the base and is numbered 2830. The base also has artist marks for Eleanor Tosen along with assistant marks for Florrie Jones and Harriette Knight along with a collection numbered label. The silver top and cartouche bear Chester silver assay marks with makers initials and date marks for 1897.