Large Antique Chinese Black Lacquer Tea Caddy, rectangular with hinged lid opening to an engraved pewter (pac-tung) liner ; the whole decorated with figures in gardens and with brass carrying handles.

Circa 1860. 13.5" x 11" x 8.5" tall (minor losses, filled crack in lid)

Antique Chinese Painted and Inlaid Wood Tea Shipping Containers, having sliding lids and fronts decorated with figures in gardens and inlaid mother of pearl. (minor losses) Largest: 12" x 12" x 11.75"

Charles A. Watson (American, 1857-1923)

"Sailing Off Virginia Coast"

Oil on canvas, signed lower right and titled on a paper label on reverse (minor crackalure)

Watson was born in Baltimore, MD. He studied with A. Castaigne, E.S. Whiteman and D. Woodward. A founding member of the Baltimore Charcoal Club, he was also a member of the Baltimore Watercolor Club. Watson exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Annual Exhibition in 1906. He is noted for his Tonalist marine paintings where the softly dawnlit skies blend with the pale ocean waters, often with a bare outline of a sailboat.

Source:
Falk, Peter, ed. "Who Was Who in American Art 1564-1975"

Ptg, : 16" x 24"
Frame : 20.5" x 28.5"

French Boulle Style Tea Caddy, rectangular with cut-corners and slightly domed lid with all sides and two interior lids extensively inlaid with engraved brass and red and black colored lacquer simulating tortoise-shell in the 17th century manner. Circa 1850.

Provenance: The Cockrell Collection. (Key). (See our #555 for a related example with blue lacquer ground.) See Clark & O’Kelly, p. 109-10 for related boxes. Height, 4.5”; Length, 8.75”; Depth, 4.5.”

Julius Montalant, American 1823-1878.

View of a Harbor

oil on canvas, signed l.l.

Painting: 11 x 18.
Frame: 18 x 25.

Provenance: The Lowell/Putnam Estate

Born in Virginia, probably Norfolk, Julius Montalant is known for his drawings and paintings inspired by his travels on board navy ships.

Attached to the USS St. Louis around 1844-45, he sketched ports of call he visited, including Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, and China.  Many of his works are held in the Museum of the U.S. Naval Academy.  Navy records indicate his rank as 'C. Clerk', which may mean that he held a civilian position.

During the 1850s he lived in Philadelphia, and in 1851-61 he exhibited at the Philadelphia Art Union and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.  Included were paintings of North America, Greece, China, France, Italy, and South America. The 'tropical' scenes were apparently based on sketches done on board the USS St. Louis.

In 1858 he traveled to Rome, and is recorded to have studied with J.B. Durand-Brager in 1864.  He made Rome his base until his death in 1878.

Source: Peter Hastings Falk, Editor, Who Was Who in American Art

Antique Bird's-Eye Maple Tea Caddy of sarcophagus form having a hinged, canted lid with line inlay, lions head brass carrying handles and pressed brass ball form feet. Probably American, circa 1820.

0.5" x 6" x 6.5" tall

Exceptional antique English Regency Collectors Cabinet in nicely figured mahogany; rectangular with two paneled doors opening to twelve graduated small drawers and the whole with shaped skirts and ebonized ball feet. Circa 1815

13.5" x 7.75" x 15.25" tall

Tea Chest in the Form of a Sideboard, in mahogany and deal, having a rectangular hinged top with shaped and carved backsplash, opening to a felt lined interior with two compartments for teaspoons and a moulded crystal sugarbowl. The front with a starburst pierced central panel flanked by hinged doors with applied plinth-form decoration and opening to foil lined drawers for green and black teas.

William Smee & Sons, London, published a catalog of furniture designs in 1850 which had sideboards of similar form. (See Pictorial Dictionary of British 19th Century Furniture Designs by Edward Joy, pp 435-36.)

Exhibited: The 48th Washington Antique Show, “Inside and Outside the Box”.

English Circa 1840.

13.25” x 7” x 11.25” (Non-working key)

Rare English Regency Tea Chest in rosewood, of sarcophagus form with a paneled lid opening to a fitted interior retaining a pair of Anglo-Irish cut glass tea caddies and sugar bowl and original felt lining under the lid, circa 1830.

Cut crystal containers were very expensive at this time, almost as expensive as silver. It is very unusual for tea chests to retain their original crystal fittings.

13" x 6.75" x 8" tall

Rare English Regency Hawksbill and Greenback Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy with ivory and pewter stringing, having cut corners and a bowed front panel with pressed tortoise in concentric ovals with fan corners and central inlaid silver oval with leafage border; the bowed lid surmounted by a ball finial and the whole raised on ball feet. Circa 1800-15. (Key). Height, 6”; Length, 8”; Depth, 4.75.”

Rare Child’s Miniature Tole Tea Caddy of Sarcophagus Form, having a shaped lid surmounted by a cast brass knop and with paw form feet: decorated with “smoke” graining and on the front a patera of polychrome flowers. American or English. Circa 1810. (Losses) Provenance: The Cockrell Collection. 3” x 2.25” x 3.5”

Rare Chinese Export Child’s Black Lacquer Tea Caddy with stepped lid and shaped body having gilt decoration of figures in courtyards and raised on carved dragon form feet. Circa 1820-1830. See our #581, #701 and #702 for related examples.
5.25” x 3.75” x 4”

Rare Antique Chinese Export red lacquer melon-form tea caddy with six loebed sides, three gilt dragon paw feet, gilt decoration of figures in gardens on body and hinged lid with carved “stem,” opening to a similarly shaped tin liner. Circa 1825. Height, 5.5”; Diameter, 6.25” Gourds and mellons had a particular significance in Chinese culture.

See: ”Antique Boxes”by Clark and O’Kelly, figure #238 and our #620 for a similar example.

#530 Antique Anglo-Indian Tea Chest, sandalwood overlaid with strips of elk horn. The box is rectangular with sloped sides. The elk horn on the top of the stepped, sloping lid arranged in a starburst pattern. The fitted interior is decorated with incised ivory panels, highlighted with lac, a similarly decorated pair of removable caddies and a circular cut crystal sugar bowl and a horn caddy spoon. (The squashed ball feet are later replacements. Lid lack support). Valtair, Vizagapatam, possibly by Chinniah, ca. 1840-50. See: Furniture from British India and Ceylon by Amin Jaffer, #61 for a similar workbox. Exhibited: The 48th Washington Antiques Show, “Inside and Outside the Box.” Height, 9”; Width, 14.75”; Depth, 8.5”.

Exceptional pair of antique French Gilt Bronze Fireplace Chenet in the form of Dionysian children seated on a plinth and eating grapes, and with foliate and cyma curved decoration. 18th/19th Century. Each Approx.: 12.5" x 12.5" x 5.5 deep

Rare George III Ambry in mahogany having an hinged arched top opening to a well and a paneled cabinet door flanked py pilasters, and the whole raised on ball feet. In Christian churches, items kept in an ambry include chalices and other vessels, as well as items for the reserved sacrament, the consecrated elements from the Eucharist. English, circa 1760.

18" x 14" x 28" tall

Fine George III Oval Brass Bound Peat Bucket with oak staves and brass banding, liner and loop handle. English, Circa 1780.

10" x 13"

Antique Hepplewhite Tea Caddy in mahogany with a fan inlay on the top and swag inlay on front.Having a hinged lid opening to two compartments for black and green tea, and raised on later ivory ball form feet.

English,Circa 1790

8" x 5" x 5.75" tall