Chinese Tea Caddy

Lidded round pot with a pale knob and a pair of loop handles on its flanks.

This pewter tea caddy from Fujian Province is from Fujian Province, China, and dates to the early 20th century. Fujian Province has a long tea-growing tradition, with oolong and white teas among its best known, and a lidded metal canister was a practical way to store them. Wide cylindrical pot with a close-fitting lid topped by a smooth pale knob. Two round loop handles sit on either side on small plates. A few faint incised lines circle the body. The metal is dull grey and softly worn. It is 7.5 inches high and 7.25 in diameter.

Sensible, sturdy and very polite about the lid.