Featured Another tea caddy, is this one Georgian?!

Hello all! Second tea caddy of the week. This one is also quite sweet with lovely inlay. Is it as old as Georgian do you think? I find it hard to tell the earlier ones from the later Victorian. It measures 7.5"L x 5"W x 4"H. There is some writing on the underside of one of the wooden lids but it looks more modern maybe? Thanks for any info as always.

 

Absolutely could be! These are more common than you might think. The zinc lining looks great, relatively intact.

 

Thank you! It is is good condition, I'm pleased with it

 

I wonder if it is Tunbridge?

 

Tunbridge ware is inlaid with tiny squares of coloured wood that make up a design, like mosaic. This isn't, although the inlay is beautiful.
Tunbridge also doesn't use MOP.

 

the burl wood is lovely.........
and at least there's no argument over it's use !!!!

 

Hum. I have seen many inlaid boxes and trays as Tunbridgeware that had mother of pearl inlay. Here is one of many I have saved https://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/4...r-of-pearl-inlay-with-silver-plated-interior/

 

Ha, true!

 

Tonbridgehistory.org.uk, Tonbridge is the town where Tunbridge ware was made, says:
"An early form often consisted of whitewood items carrying printed labels depicting local scenes. The distinctive mosaic style, made by glueing sticks of different woods side by side and then slicing it into layers, came in the mid- 19th century, and it is this form that is now generally understood by the term ‘Tunbridge Ware’."

http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk/made-in-tonbridge/tunbridge-ware.htm

They also have photos, so you can check.
That is the ware I know to be Tunbridge ware, exactly what I said, mosaic made from different woods. But I know some sellers tend to rewrite history, which leads to confusion.

 

Here is a thread about my little Tunbridge ware box, you can see a detailed photo of the inlay:
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/tunbridge-trinket-box-country-house-surprise-packaging.39369/

It is much more like modest, though time consuming, folksy work than that beautiful MOP inlay which also has tropical woods. The humble workers of Tonbridge wouldn't have had the money to invest in such expensive materials.
A quote from the thread, Obb said: "Looks To/unbridge Ware to me."

 

Got it! I really loved parquetry and marquetry work and the skill involved. You are right about sellers re-writing history!