Rare 19th C SARDINIA Italy Silver CANISTER TEA CADDY-Chased Designs-Gallery Edge

Description

Up for bid is a fine old cylindrical silver tea caddy from the Italian island of Sardinia, mid 19th C. The piece is 6 ¼ inches tall, abut 3 ½ inches in diameter, and weighs 326 grams.  It has a pierced gallery edge, flat sides and a flat base with three flattened ball feet.  The body is seamed on one side, and is decorated with flat-chased swags and Chinese-style plantain leaf borders.  The domed lid has a fixed pineapple finial and matching chased decoration as shown.  The piece is clearly marked with a lion head facing left on the rim of the lid, and the same mark is double-struck on the gallery edge.
Condition on the piece is fairly good.  There are the normal shallow dents and scratches from use, and the base is pushed in slightly.  It has a nice soft patina from many years of use.  There is a slight split along the seam on the side.  A very nice piece of old silver!