Description

Vegan Ivory Feet, Silver Escutcheon & Initial Plaque

From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Regency Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of Serpentine form with flared pedestal base upon four Tagua nut (vegan ivory) bun feet. Fitted with a shaped Silver escutcheon and initial plaque to the lid with matching silver stringing to the extremities. When opened the Tea Caddy reveals an Ivory facing with a Maroon Velvet lining to the inside of the lid. A matching Tortoiseshell lid with turned tagua nut handle finishes the Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy dates to the early 19th century during the Regency period circa 1820.

The Tea Caddy comes complete with working lock and tasselled key.

Tagua Nut (Vegan Ivory) is a product made from the very hard centre of the seeds of certain palm trees. Vegan ivory is named for its resemblance to animal ivory. Species in the genus Phytelephas (elephant plant), native to South America, are the most important sources of vegetable ivory along with the Caroline ivory-nut palm and Vanuatu, and the real fan palm. A tagua palm can take up to 15 years to mature. But once it gets to this stage it can go on producing vegetable ivory for up to 100 years. In any given year a tagua palm can produce up to 20 pounds of vegan ivory making it an exceptionally sustainable source.

Tortoiseshell describes a type of decorative material made from the shells of certain species of sea turtles. The shells of these turtles are composed of a hard, glossy substance called keratin, which can be cut and shaped into a variety of decorative items. Tortoiseshell has been used for centuries to make a range of decorative objects, including combs, brush handles, and other small items. It is also sometimes used to make tea caddies, as it is strong, durable, and can be polished to a high shine. The term “tortoiseshell” is used to describe these decorative items, even though they are made from the shells of sea turtles because the term has been used historically to refer to this material.

Regency is an era of British history between 1811 and 1820. The Regency era was initiated by King George III first suffered a debilitating illness in the late 1780s. He relapsed into his mental illness in 1810 and by the Regency Act in 1811 his eldest son George, Prince of Wales, was appointed prince regent to discharge royal functions. When George III died in 1820, the Prince Regent succeeded him as George IV.

If you are purchasing Tortoiseshell or Ivory pieces and are outside the UK you must have a CITES certificate in order to import the item into your country. We can obtain these on your behalf at a cost of £50 and these can take up to 30 working days to arrive at our office. Due to the strict exporting rules of these pieces, they may also come with further shipping costs. Please ensure you contact us prior to purchase for a quote.

With every purchase from Mark Goodger Antiques, you will receive our latest catalogue, a Certificate of Authenticity, detailed care instructions for your chosen piece and an independent invoice (for insurance purposes) will be enclosed. As well as being protected by a no-hassle, money-back policy, your piece will be entirely insured during the shipping process to ensure the safety of your item.

Additional information