George II Antique Silver Tea Caddies, London 1753.

Object Description

An excellent quality matching set of antique sterling silver tea jars of attractive vase form having lift off lids, rope borders and cute little flower finials. Excellent gauge of silver, remarkable weight. The bodies have spiral decoration with high relief embossed flower decoration. Each has a hand engraved armorial to the front. One large caddy (originally for sugar) and a matching pair of smaller caddies (for green and black tea).

Weight 929g, 29.8 troy oz.
Large caddy height 15cm, diameter (inside top) 6.35cm (bottom) 6.75cm.
Pair of smaller caddies height 15cm, diameter (inside top) 5.5cm (bottom) 6cm.
London 1753.
Maker Phillip Garden.
Sterling silver.

Marks. Each tea box is stamped with a full set of matching English silver hallmarks to the base, the lids have the lion and maker’s marks.

Arms. These are the marital arms of an unknown gentleman and his wife, maiden name Brewster.

Maker: Phillips Garden

Phillips Garden (other spellings Phil(l)ip, apprenticed to Gawen Nash 1730, free 1738. First mark entered as smallworker 1738, 2nd mark, as largeworker, 1739, 3rd 1744, 4th 1748, 5th 1751. Livery 1746. Grimwade describes Garden as an admirable exponent of the rococo style.

There is an interesting hypothesis that Garden acquired the tools and models from Paul de Lamerie’s estate after his death in 1751. Some of Garden’s subsequent work bear identical features to Lamerie’s indicating some connection between the two master silversmiths.

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Object Literature

Tea in the early 18th Century was expensive, and also there was a tax on tea, so early tea caddies were small and made in precious materials such as silver, shagreen or tortoiseshell which reflected the valuable contents within. A Tea Caddy is a box, jar, canister, or other receptacle used to store tea. The word is believed to be derived from “catty”, the Chinese pound, equal to about a pound and a third avoirdupois. The earliest examples that came to Europe were Chinese tea canisters in blue and white porcelain with china lids or stoppers. Some of the earliest silver examples have sliding bases (or tops) and the cap was used for measuring the tea. By the mid 18th century matching sets were available, with two caddies (for green and black tea) and a sugar bowl, all fitted into a wooden or shagreen case, often with silver mounts.

Object Condition

Very good with moderate signs of wear commensurate with age.

Object Details