Tea caddy

Tea caddy
Anglo-Indian
Vizagapatam
Around 1790/1800
21 x 13 x 14 cm

This artistically crafted box comes from Vizagapatam, an Indian coastal town that was known for its exquisite furniture and luxury items in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It combines Indian craftsmanship with European design concepts and was probably intended for the British market or wealthy European traders and officials in India.
The box’s decoration is arranged in horizontal friezes: the upper section shows large flowers with delicate tendrils, while below, a geometric floral pattern continues the ornamentation. A wide central band depicts an idyllic landscape in which farmhouses, people, and trees form a tranquil, pastoral scene. This detailed engraving reflects the fascination of European patrons with exotic, idealized representations of India.
Such boxes were made in Vizagapatam by skilled artisans who specialized in fine inlay and engraving work. They often served as jewelry boxes, writing cases, or tea containers and were sought-after export goods. The metal handle on the lid suggests that the box was used not only as a decorative object but also as a portable container.
With its artistic design and harmoniously blended stylistic elements, this box is exemplary of Anglo-Indian art production at the dawn of the 19th century – a fascinating testimony to colonial cultural encounters and trading history.