Antique George III Sterling Silver Locking Tea Caddy 1783

Exceptional, fine and impressive antique Georgian English sterling silver locking tea caddy; an addition to our silver teaware collection. This exceptional antique George III sterling silver tea caddy has an oval-shaped form. The surface of this Georgian silver caddy is encompassed with bright cut engraved tied ribbon foliate swag designs, suspended from impressive simplified oval floral rosette anchor-points accented with pensile festoon designs. The decoration to the body is further ornamented with four impressive oval cartouches suspended from ribbon designs, conjoining with a simplified floral decorated border to the upper portion. Each cartouche is embellished with an impressive bright cut engraved scene of a putto* engaging with nature; three of the four illustrations bear wings. The lower portion of the body is encompassed with a bright cut engraved bands of laurel leaf and bud decoration. This antique silver tea caddy retains the original hallmarked domed flush hinged cover; the flush hinge indicates the fine quality of this piece. The cover is embellished with further engraved laurel leaf decoration and is surmounted with a painted carved wood and silver topped finial with a pineapple style lower terminal, securing to the interior with a screw fitment. The caddy is fitted with a fully working locking mechanism and key. * In art and culture, a putto (plural: putti) is a chubby male child, usually nude and occasionally bearing wings. Maker: Andrew Fogelberg & Stephen Gilbert Origin: London, England