Tea Caddy, 1875
Add to SetSummary
This sterling silver tea caddy was part of a multi-piece service. Designers overlaid the caddy's original Western-derived form with images of Asian-inspired landscapes and symbols and applied caricatures of Chinese people. Decorations such as these reflected the fascination with "exotic" places and cultures as perceived by wealthy, late-19th-century American consumers, who had little true understanding of Asian cultures.
This sterling silver tea caddy was part of a multi-piece service. Designers overlaid the caddy's original Western-derived form with images of Asian-inspired landscapes and symbols and applied caricatures of Chinese people. Decorations such as these reflected the fascination with "exotic" places and cultures as perceived by wealthy, late-19th-century American consumers, who had little true understanding of Asian cultures.
Artifact
Tea caddy (Container)
Date Made
1875
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
90.11.3
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Sterling silver
Color
Silver (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 4 in
Width: 2.25 in
Length: 4.5 in
Inscriptions
on base [engraved]: A J / [lion] / [anchor] / G/STERLING "75"/G
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