An inlaid Victorian caddy? Now, that’s my cup of tea

By Florida Weekly Staff | on May 31, 2023

This papier-mâché tea caddy dates from the middle 19th century. It's decorated with mother-ofpearl inlay and it measures about 4½ inches high by 6 inches long. SCOTT SIMMONS / FLORIDA WEEKLY

Before there was plastic or even celluloid, there was papier-mâché.

Papier-mâché was a miracle product of the Victorian Age.

Paper and glue could be compressed and molded into sturdy pieces of mass-produced furniture — homes of the day were filled with chairs, tables and chests made of the product.

They often were covered in black lacquer, then gilt or painted and inlaid with mother-of-pearl and other baubles that sparkled against the black lacquer.

There also were decorative accessories, such as trays, sewing boxes, writing desks and other objects — like this box.

Probably made around in the middle of the 19th century in England, this box was designed as a tea caddy. Open it and you can see the remains of the dividers that separated two compartments for the loose-leaf tea. There would have been individual lids covering each of the compartments.

I can picture this in an upper-class parlor furnished with similar fancy accoutrements of the day — inlaid and marble-top tables, pier mirrors (so the lady of the house could check her skirts on the way out the door), and a silver or porcelain tea set proudly displayed along with this caddy.

Scott SIMMONS

Tea was an expensive commodity back in the day — hence the lock.

So much of the furniture of the Victorian Age is unwieldy and overwrought.

Many of the mass-produced pieces have bad proportions and, quite frankly, weren't that well made to begin with.

But this tea caddy is a beauty, with each handcut bit of shell carefully inlaid to create a floral motif.

It's a sturdy ware, but accidents do happen.

Somewhere along the way, the divided compartments and lids that would have been inside this piece have disappeared.

There's a ding on the bottom front, the lock has come loose and — most grievous of all — one of its hinges is missing.

Still, it remains an object of beauty, even if it shows more than a few of its 160-170 years.

And the price for which it was listed — $18 at the Hospice Hope Chest Resale Shop — reflects that condition.

Still, if you open it, you can take a whiff.

Yes, it's a bit musty.

But you still can smell the essence of its original contents.

That's certainly my cup of tea.

I’ll take mine strong, unsweetened and steeped in history — just like this caddy.

Don't forget

West Palm Beach Antiques Festival — Next show: June 2-4. Friday through Sunday the first weekend of the month at the South Florida Fairgrounds, 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach. Hours: Noon-5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Early buyer is 9 a.m.-noon Friday. 941-697- 7475 or www.wpbaf.com. ¦

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