Royal Worcester (England, Est. 1751)
Fenton Brothers Ltd (Sheffield, Est. 1850)
Blush Ivory Tea Caddy, c. 1901/1902
porcelain, sterling silver mounts
4 ½” high x 3 ½” wide x 3” deep
Catalogue Notes: A Royal Worcester Aesthetic style ‘Blush Ivory’ tea caddy decorated with “asymmetric and scattered” hand-enameled art sprays of flowers and foliage embellished throughout with 22 carat gold. This shape, no. 1669, is a classic tea caddy form registered c. 1893, with an oval body slightly raised with an integral collar foot supporting a gilt and collared neck capped with a sterling domed mushroom pressure fit cap.
Made of a parian porcelain body the decorating process was elaborate involving a total of five firings to build up the glazes and decoration to a finished state. The interior is glazed with a matt ivory, the exterior with a matt butter then further blushed with a matt apricot glaze before being painted with the flowers and then being further gilt and burnished.
Markings: [Fenton Brothers Ltd Cartouche] [Sheffield Crown] [Lion Passant] [1902 k]; green Royal Worcester backstamp on base with date code for 1901; green registration number 21192x c. 1893; green shape number 1669; ‘w’; hand painted ‘w’/’4158’
Condition: Antique, Very Good
For Accuracy: an Antique tea caddy it may show expected light signs of age. The blush ivory body is excellent with clear and bright floral sprays highlighter with gilt. The silver cap has a small area (see pics) where a previous owner, unfamiliar with silver marks, performed an acid test to check for purity. As the marks clearly indicate it is solid sterling silver. The cap fits secure.
