HESTER BATEMAN. A very rare and fine George III Tea Caddy made in London in 1787 by Hester Bateman.

HESTER BATEMAN. A very rare and fine George III Tea Caddy made in London in 1787 by Hester Bateman.

£6,750

The Tea Caddy is modelled in a known design from the Hester Bateman workshops.  This fine example has an oval form with a beaded band at the base.  The main body displays an upper and lower horizontal band of stylised flower heads and foliate designs within a prick dot frame.  The sides also display beautiful floral garlands tied with ribbons.  Both the front and reverse are engraved with a navette shaped bright cut cartouche containing the contemporary Armorial of a lady in a lozenge on one side and the contemporary script initials "EW" on the other.  The stepped, hinged, domed cover is also decorated with beading, bright cut bands and terminates in a Neo Classical urn finial.  This piece is in quite excellent condition and is fully marked on the base and with the maker's mark on the cover.  The base is also engraved with the contemporary inscription:

" Miss Vickers Legacy to Mrs Williams, Octr 7th 1787. Ty:fry."

The Arms are those of the Williams family of the Isle of Anglesey and of Wynnstay and Bodelwyddan.  On the inescutcheon are the arms of Heely, Bolds, Ellis, Griffiths and Owen.  These are all borne identically by descendants of a Welsh princely house.  From the initials, we can be fairly certain that Mrs Williams was called Elizabeth, hence the script initials EW, and that this piece was a legacy to her from a Miss Vickers.

Tea was extremely expensive at this date and warranted such a container to keep it in.  The Tea party was a ritual very much enjoyed within the upper echelons of British Society.  Although Hester Bateman made many tea related items in her workshops, Tea Caddies do not appear on the market very often.

Height: 5.5 inches, 13.75 cm.

Length: 5.1 inches, 12.75 cm.

Width: 3.5 inches, 8.75 cm

Weight: 11oz.

 

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