$889
English Arts & Crafts Painted Wood Tea Caddy, early 20th century, possibly painted over an early box, rectangular with hinged lid and canted corners, painted with Moorish motifs, lid with roundels of archers on horseback amidst rose heads, the sides with continuous scene of a procession of figures afoot and on horseback, amidst stylized fruit trees, on dark blue ground, base with running quotation "Ho Travellers! I open/For what land leave you the dim moon city of delight?/We take the golden road to Samarcand [ sic ]," interior gold painted and fitted with three compartments, side lifting handles, wd. 10 1/4, ht. 6, dp. 6 1/4 in. Note: The excerpt painted on the box is taken from the poem by James Elroy Flecker (1884-1915), "The Golden Journey to Samarkand," written in 1913. Overall fair. It appears to be a 19th century box which has been covered with canvas and subequently painted using a layering technique with a build up surface; some of this paint has given way, particularly to the top and front and confined more to the figures than the landscape the sides and back in much better shape; gold painted interior.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2009-04-11
