Tea caddy with lid

1795-1810

Measurements

5-1/4 in x 3-3/8 in x 1-1/2 in

Materials

Glazed, enameled, and gilded porcelain

Credit Line

Anonynous loan to the Historic Odessa Foundation

Accession Number

2011.73

Inscription

“From Aunt Deborah / Lippincott / Reynolds / [illegible except for date of 1887]" is written in ink on the outside bottom.

Condition Notes

The neck is broken and repaired and is missing pieces.  The lid is heavily restored if not replaced.

Provenance

Research has not revealed who Aunt Deborah Lippincott Reynolds might be.  The tea caddy was likely acquired by H. Rodney Sharp, in whose family it descended.

Comments

The rectangular, molded tea caddy has curved shoulders that appear to slightly overhang the sides. Tea leaves are poured into and out of a cylindrical hole at the top center, which has a separate lid or cover. A small blue floral spray with gilded highlights decorates both sides of the caddy.  Reddish-orange lines and wavy dots of blue outline shoulder and bottom edges as well as the lid.

This tea caddy is similar in form and time of manufacture as accession no. 1971.714