A beautiful  Box - a tea caddy.   C 1830.  3 compartments.  Beautifully grained exotic wood.  The lining (usually pewter) for the two end boxes is gone.  I believe the center hole held a ceramic or glass jar that has been lost over the last 190 years.  The box is in wonderful condition, with beautifully grained wood.  Keyhole surrounded by mother of pearl.  

Tea caddies are highly collectible.  They date from the 1700s when tea was extremely expensive, and was kept under lock and key, only for use in special occasions, and to keep everybody out except for the owner..  Tea was kept in the two side containers.  There is some argument among experts about the center container.  Was it for sugar?  Was it to mix the green tea in the left container with the black tea on the right? 

About 12" long, 13.5" counting the extensions for the wooden rings.  About 6.5" tall and 6" deep.   Round wooden rings on the ends. Bun feet.  Interesting shape.  

It was for sale at Neta's store when she closed it in 2001 for $875.     

The last picture confused me too.   The frame on the inside of the box that covers the two tea containers lifts out.  In this pic, the box (with the frame removed) is at the top.  The frame, with the two wooden covers and the hole for the sugar or whatever, is sitting on a glass table.  Flowers are under the table.  

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