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Autumn 2016


Fair Preview


Pair of George III papier-mâché tea caddies attributed to Henry Clay, c.1790, 11.4 x 12.7 x 8.9cm Mark Goodger at Hampton Antiques


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his pair of tea caddies, decorated with classi- cal figures, was originally part of the display in the Etruscan dressing room at Osterley Park in


Isleworth. The papier-mâché caddies are attributed to Henry Clay, who pioneered the Japanning industry in 18th century Birmingham and became ‘Japanner in Ordinary to His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales’. The process involved decorating papier-mâché by applying layers of varnish, baked be- tween each to give a smooth shiny finish. Clay later established a workshop in Covent Garden where he produced small caddies, trays and dressing cases alongside small pieces of japanned furniture. Each of these caddies has a silver handle stamped “HC” with assay office marks for Birmingham and all are thought to have sat on a dressing table also de- signed by Clay at Osterley. They are embellished with bands of classical anthemia and the lids are decorated


A 19th century Etruscan revival micro-mosaic bangle, c.1870 Moira Fine Jewellery


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he acceleration in excavations of classical sites such as Pompeii and Herculaneum in the mid and later 19th century gave rise to a widespread


fashion for Egyptian, Greek and Etruscan revival jew- ellery. This was also, of course, the era of the Grand Tour and Italy had a thriving industry making revival jewellery as high end souvenirs for wealthy tourists keen to take home some classical style. A prime exam- ple is this c.1870 bangle, exhibited by Moira Fine Jew- ellery. The gold broad hinged bangle, embellished with


differently, one with a chevron pattern, the other flo- ral, presumably to distinguish green from black tea. When George Child Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey, gave


Osterley Park to the National Trust in 1949, he gave the caddies to his sister, Lady Joan Child Villiers. They were sold to a family friend, an avid tea caddy collector, around 30 years ago and Mark Goodger at Hampton Antiques exhibits several caddies from this collection at the Fair.


Etruscan style bead and rope work decoration, has the letters ROMA applied to the back, clearly brought home as a souvenir from the city. The front is set with a rectangular micro-mosaic panel depicting Aurora, the goddess of the dawn, bringing forth a new day as she leads the way for Apollo, god of light, through the night clouds. The subject of Aurora leading the chariot of Apollo was popular with Roman micro-mosaicists during the 18th and 19th centuries. This particular scene is drawn after the large Baroque ceiling fresco by Gui- do Reni (1575-1642) painted in 1614 in the garden pavilion of Palazzo Rospigliosi in Piazza Monte Ca- vallo, Rome.


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