These magnificent, fine and impressive antique silver tea caddies each have an oblong, bomb shaped form.
The surface of each antique tea caddy is embellished with impressive chased and embossed scrolling floral and foliate decoration, incorporating paralleling undulating borders framing each side.
The decoration to the body of each incorporates two cartouches, one displaying the contemporary engraved coat of arms depicting an oval escutcheon supported by a savage and a greyhound collared and chained, displaying firstly a stag's head and secondly three bars below three roundels.
The coat of arms bears the motto 'Data fata secutus' - Following the destiny allotted to me*.
These heraldic markings are surmounted with the crest of a mountain in flames, surmounted with the motto 'Luceo non uro' - I shine, not burn*.
The cartouche to the opposing side of each caddy is ornamented with an impressive contemporary engraved crest of a greyhound courant.
The remaining two sides of each impressive antique caddy are embellished with further chased and embossed decoration, each depicting an identical scene incorporating an archway to a building covered in foliage and a hunched figure to the lower portion of the design.
These caddies are each fitted with the orginal rectangular-shaped push fit cover ornamented with further foliate and floral decoration.
Each magnificent tea caddy is surmounted with two impressive cast finials; one in the form of a bird and one in the form of a young boy reclining with a drinking vessel.
The antique tea caddies are each supported by four impressive chased floral decorated feet.
These Georgian silver tea caddies are fitted to the original fine and impressive hinged presentation box, bearing the original velvet lined interior.
The ebonised wood rectangular presentation box is ornamented with impressive carved panels depicting mountainous landscapes and a village scene with riders on horseback, in addition to impressive floral ornamentation.
These magnificent boxed tea caddies are the finest of their type you could hope to acquire; the items will have been crafted in the same year but due to the hallmarking system, the one caddy is struck with the date letter 'P' and the other bears the date letter 'O'.
* These heraldic markings pertain to the MacKenzie family; it can be determined these caddies were owned by Major William MacKenzie, grandson of Kenneth MacKenzie, 4th Earl of Seaforth.
Read more about caddy history at AC Silver.
Maker: Elizabeth Godfrey
Date: 1750
