Antique Victorian Sterling Silver Tea Caddy / Biscuit Box

Exceptional, fine and impressive, large antique Victorian English sterling silver tea caddy/biscuit box; an addition to our silver teaware collection. This exceptional antique Victorian sterling silver tea caddy has a compressed oval shaped form. The body of this silver tea caddy is embellished with panels of bright cut engraved scrolling leaf designs amidst eight convex panels composing vacant cartouches; four bear bright cut engraved borders, three are plain and unembellished and one bears an engraved keyhole escutcheon. The medial point of the unusual shaped body is encompassed with a broad convex stylised bead and spindle style border. The upper portion of the caddy is encompassed with an applied scrolling border paralleling the rim with a pensile drop to each panel incurve. This Victorian silver tea caddy retains the original hallmarked domed panelled hinged cover, reflecting the bright cut engraved decoration to the body's panels. The anterior panel of the cover bears the contemporary bright cut engraved monogram initials Mag. The cover is surmounted with an impressive embossed panelled finial. The caddy is supported by four impressive embossed scrolling feet, incorporated into a shaped border to the lower portion of the panelled body. This large tea caddy/biscuit box is fitted with the original locking mechanism; the lock is not operational. Such examples in this highly desirable and unusual form are becoming increasingly difficult to locate. Maker: Joseph Angell I & Joseph Angell II Origin: London, England