An extremely rare pair of Glass and silver Cagework Tea Caddies made

The Caddies are made of Bristol blue blown glass and then silver cage work has been made to surround the glass. The main bodies are made in two sections and then fitted together. The form of the caddies copies the George II/early George III baluster designs and each stands on an open work base, with scroll feet, which display foliate scrolls and stylised shells. The main body is pierced on all sides with bold scroll cagework, surrounding the blue glass, and the corners display raised trailing foliate bands. The domed pull-off covers are also made of blue glass and display a silver surround pierced with scroll work and also a gadrooned base. Each cover terminates in a cast flowering sprig, most probably from a tea plant. The caddies are in quite excellent condition and are marked twice on the main body, on the rim of the cover and also on the finial, in eight different places in total. This is the first time we have seen a pair of tea caddies with silver cagework surrounds and they may well have been a special order. William Cooper was apprenticed to Samuel Hennell, from1808, so was trained in a very prolific workshop. He entered his final mark on 19th February, 1845 and had workshops at 39, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, when these caddies were made. Height: 5.5 inches, 13.75 cm. Length: 3.5 inches, 8.75 cm. Width: 2.9 inches, 7.25 cm.

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