19th Century Welsh Sarcophagus Coal Tea Caddy.
£385.00
19th Century Welsh Sarcophagus Coal Tea Caddy
A rare and wonderfully distinctive 19th-century Welsh tea caddy, carved from a single piece of coal mined in North Wales. Of elegant sarcophagus form, the caddy retains its original dark, lustrous surface, beautifully complemented by finely incised decoration and a crisply carved date of June 1870 to the front.
The hinged lid opens to reveal a divided interior, thoughtfully arranged for storing different varieties of tea. Raised on small turned feet, the caddy combines practical purpose with the remarkable craftsmanship and ingenuity of the Victorian period. The stylised three leaf clover motifs and decorative borders lend the piece a charming folk-art quality, while the use of coal itself makes it a particularly evocative example of Welsh regional craftsmanship.
Coal-carved objects such as this celebrate the importance of the Welsh mining industry and its place in the social and cultural history of the region. Both sculptural and functional, this unusual tea caddy is a fascinating survivor.
condition : few chips to the coal but overall in remarkable condition for its age.
In stock