Tea caddy/ box - Pewter/Tin, Black and gold lacquered wood

A 19th century tea chest made in China (in Canton) , for the European market as an (additional) export product in addition to tea to be traded mainly to England. The period in which this happened is between 1825-1885.
\r
The tea chest is made of a light wood, lacquered black and decorated all around with refined gold paintings. The images show typical daily life scenes in China, flower & leaf motifs and (night) butterflies. Due to extensive use/handling, the lid has faded a bit more than the rest of the tea chest and something has been on it that has left a letter print.
On the inside there are two removable tin canisters with two different lids, the inner one with a turned bone knob. The outer lid is both decorative and a measure of the correct amount of tea. Both tea caddies are richly and delicately engraved with a landscape scene, a bird and flower & leaf motifs. The soldered seams of both buses have come loose in certain places.
The hinges and locks, i. e. the hinges, lock and lock eye, are all original.
The tea chest rests on carved stylized dragon claw legs, has a beautiful appearance & patina and a beautiful satin gloss.
\r
The tea chest will be well packaged and shipped with insurance!