Tea caddy
Other (Dia of base): 7.3 cm (2 7/8 in.)
One of the earliest known copper pieces from Gorham’s distinctive Art Silver line, this tea caddy represents a relatively small, but exclusive, body of work that was decorated with silver appliqués and fittings and produced between 1881 and 1885. The design and decoration were clearly influenced by the extraordinary achievements of Japanese Meiji metalwork, despite the fact that Asian tea caddies were typically ceramic. Still, this vessel’s shape does depend on Chinese Ming wares as adapted from the ginger jar, a form collected in America since colonial times.
In addition to its affordability, copper allowed for a wide range of color options, from warm reds to deep chocolate browns. Works such as this, with its pristine glazelike finish, are highly prized. Original matte surfaces rarely survive, and the process used to create them is no longer understood.
This text has been adapted from "Silver of the Americas, 1600-2000," edited by Jeannine Falino and Gerald W.R. Ward, published in 2008 by the MFA. Complete references can be found in that publication.
