C. 19th Export Green Painted and Gilt Tôle Tea Canister.

C. 19th Export Green, Red and Gilt Painted Tôle Tea Canister Converted to a Lamp.

Dimensions: Height: 16 .5inch (42cm), Width: 11.02 inch (28 cm) Depth: 9.4inch. (24 cm)
Period: Second Quarter of Early 19th Century. 

A Highly decorative, toleware (sheet metal) tea canister, sympathetically converted to a lamp. iIt has a slightly concave shape which is known as 'swell form'. 

The Hand painted scene depicts a Mandarin figure standing on the embankment in the foreground with a tea crate and a tea Junk or Sampan ship sail can be seen in the background, the whole is on a bottle green ground with bands of gold gilt. 

Depictions of Canton and of the tea, silk, and porcelain trade transacted at the Chinese port, were brought home by Western merchants as testimonials of the exotic and secretive processes that generated these desirable luxury goods.

Beautiful time worn patina craquelure or 'gatoring’ to the original paint.

A deliciously charming distress. 

Made in China for the English export market, decorated to late English Regency taste.
Rewired with PAT.