A large and unusual Victorian sterling silver tea caddy or biscuit box, London 1844 by John Edward Terry

A large and unusual Victorian sterling silver tea caddy or biscuit box, London 1844 by John Edward Terry

Of four-sided bombe form upon four cast scroll bracket feet, the everted cast and chased rim of foliate scrolls, rocaille work and flower heads leading to a hinged square domed lid surmounted by a detachable cast finial of a reclining Chinaman atop of an embossed acanthus leaf calyx. The body corned with cast and applied acanthus, the sides with embossed sprays of flowers and foliate C scrolls, the front with an asymmetrical foliate scroll cartouche. The front engraved with a coat of arms below a helm, between unicorn supporters, all below a motto lupurt brecton leal. Fully marked underneath, the lid and finial part-marked, the retaining nut with lion passant, later French tax mark to lid.

Height – 16.5 cm / 6.5 inches

Length – 14.2 cm / 5.5 inches

Weight – 1104 grams / 35.94 ozt