An extremely fine & rare early George III Chinoiserie Tea Caddy made in London in 1765 by John Langford & John Sebille.
An extremely fine & rare early George III Chinoiserie Tea Caddy made in London in 1765 by John Langford & John Sebille.
375447
The Tea Caddy stands on four scroll bracket feet decorated with foliate capping. The main body is rectangular in form with bombe sides, each of the corners displaying unusual scroll and shell openwork sections. The sides are embossed and chased with unusual Chinoiserie panels surrounded by raised scrolls, cording and Rococo shell details. The first side shows a seated china man in traditional dress, playing a horn, the second a Chinaman walking holding aloft a mirror, also in traditional dress, and the third depicts a seated Chinaman playing the flute. The fourth, and final panel, displays a finely engraved contemporary Scottish Armorial with a motto engraved above. All of these are of figurative designs which we had not previously seen. The domed pull-off cover has a gadrooned rim and is divided into four sections with corner linear loops. The cover is chased with shells and scrolls and terminates in a cast double flower head finial. The Caddy is fully marked on the base and with the Sterling Mark on the cover. The decoration is very crisp, the condition excellent and it has a very good colour. The work of John Langford & John Sebille is scarce, however is always of the finest quality in terms of production and design. It is thought that John Sebille was of Huguenot descent, which would account for the fine quality of the pieces which bear their mark. The Caddy is also of an excellent weight – a very rare unusual piece.
The Arms are those of Hill of Lambhill, Scotland. The Arms were granted in 1676 to Ninian Hill (1621-c.1683). They are specifically those as used by the Revd Laurence Ninian (1700-1773).
Height: 6 inches, 15 cm.
Length: 3.9 inches, 9.75 cm.
Width: 3.3 inches, 8.25 cm.
Weight: 15oz.
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. They are specifically those as used by the Revd Laurence Ninian (1700-1773).Height: 6 inches, 15 cm.Length: 3.9 inches, 9.75 cm.Width: 3.3 inches, 8.25 cm.Weight: 15oz. ){kind=link}