Regency “Brighton Pavilion” Tea Caddy or Tobacco Box England, circa 1820–1830

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Description

Regency “Brighton Pavilion” Tea Caddy or Tobacco Box
England, circa 1820–1830
5.5" H × 5" W × 3.5" D

Cast … Read more Regency “Brighton Pavilion” Tea Caddy or Tobacco Box
England, circa 1820–1830
5.5" H × 5" W × 3.5" D

Cast in lead or pewter with remnants of original polychrome decoration in turquoise blue and gilt, this octagonal caddy features a domed lid surmounted by a bust finial and rests on stylized paw feet. The sides are molded with relief panels depicting attendants bearing banners, a central panel with the Prince of Wales’s feathers (three ostrich plumes emerging from a coronet), and medallions of game and floral trophies. The architectural design, with its segmented dome and exotic detailing, directly evokes the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, the fantastical seaside palace designed by John Nash for the Prince Regent (later George IV) between 1815 and 1822.

Objects of this type were fashionable domestic novelties—tea caddies or tobacco boxes—celebrating the Orientalist architecture and imperial imagination of the Regency era. The imagery of attendants and heraldic crests alludes to Britain’s expanding empire and to the Pavilion’s hybrid “Indian-Gothic” style, which blended Eastern motifs with Georgian refinement. The use of cast lead or pewter gave these small vessels a satisfying weight and allowed fine relief modeling, while the polychrome finish imitated the brilliance of japanned metalwork.

Meaning: A domestic homage to the Orientalist architecture of George IV’s Pavilion, this piece embodies the Regency fascination with the exotic East, royal leisure, and the theatrical pageantry of empire.

Provenance: Palm Beach private collection.
Condition: Stable surface with traces of original paint and gilding; minor casting irregularities typical of early-19th-century examples.

Comparable examples:
Victoria & Albert Museum (Acc. no. M.59-1929) See less