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Set of 3 William IV Painted Toleware Tea Canisters, C1830
Sold by Anthony Short Antiques
sold SA1192989
Sorry, but this item has been sold.
Anthony Short Antiques

Anthony Short Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jul 2020
Browse dealers 175 items
Id #SA1192989
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Set of 3 William IV Painted Toleware Tea Canisters, C1830

19th century
Sold 16 October 2026 · Anthony Short Antiques
This “Set of 3 William IV Painted Toleware Tea Canisters, C1830” found a buyer.

It was listed by Anthony Short Antiques. Sold pieces stay on Sellingantiques as a record of what has passed through, and the next one is rarely far away.

Description

A Set of Three Exceptional 19th-Century Toleware Shop Tea Canisters

A superb and very decorative set of three 19th-century William IV period English toleware tea canisters, originally used in grocers’ shops to store and display tea. Each canister is of classic rectangular shop form and retains its original domed lid. The fronts are beautifully hand painted with richly detailed chinoiserie scenes and portraits, framed within ornate gilt borders. The deep green japanned ground contrasts wonderfully with the strong colours and gilding, giving the canisters great presence and visual impact. The painted surfaces have developed a lovely, untouched patina, with wear commensurate with age, and remain in very good original condition throughout.

Toleware refers to painted and often japanned metalware, and these canisters are typical of the high quality production associated with Pontypool and the Midlands in the 18th and 19th centuries. The finely painted gilt figures, engaged in trade and domestic scenes, reflect the period fascination with the exoticism of the Far East.

Both highly decorative and historically interesting, this set would make a striking display in a kitchen, pantry, shop interior or collection of treen and related metalware, a rare opportunity to acquire three matching canisters with such strong colour, character and charm.

I have acquired two matching sets of three canisters, which may be purchased individually as sets of three or together as a highly impressive group of six for a larger display.

Height 41cm (16.1in)

Width 25cm (9.8in)

Depth 21cm (8.3in)

Date of Manufacture

Anthony Short Antiques has dated these William IV Toleware Canisters to the 19th Century.

Physical Dimensions
Height
41cm (16.14")
Width
25cm (9.84")
Depth
21cm (8.27")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1192989
Dealers Internal Reference
1452
Description
A Set of Three Exceptional 19th-Century Toleware Shop Tea Canisters
“
A superb and very decorative set of three 19th-century William IV period English toleware tea canisters, originally used in grocers’ shops to store and display tea.
Anthony Short Antiques

Each canister is of classic rectangular shop form and retains its original domed lid. The fronts are beautifully hand painted with richly detailed chinoiserie scenes and portraits, framed within ornate gilt borders. The deep green japanned ground contrasts wonderfully with the strong colours and gilding, giving the canisters great presence and visual impact. The painted surfaces have developed a lovely, untouched patina, with wear commensurate with age, and remain in very good original condition throughout.

fig 1. A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes.
fig 1. Set of 3 William IV Painted Toleware Tea Canisters, C1830

Toleware refers to painted and often japanned metalware, and these canisters are typical of the high quality production associated with Pontypool and the Midlands in the 18th and 19th centuries. The finely painted gilt figures, engaged in trade and domestic scenes, reflect the period fascination with the exoticism of the Far East.

fig 2. A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes.
fig 2. Set of 3 William IV Painted Toleware Tea Canisters, C1830

Both highly decorative and historically interesting, this set would make a striking display in a kitchen, pantry, shop interior or collection of treen and related metalware, a rare opportunity to acquire three matching canisters with such strong colour, character and charm.

fig 3. A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes.
fig 3. Set of 3 William IV Painted Toleware Tea Canisters, C1830

I have acquired two matching sets of three canisters, which may be purchased individually as sets of three or together as a highly impressive group of six for a larger display.

Height 41cm (16.1in)

Width 25cm (9.8in)

Depth 21cm (8.3in)

Date of Manufacture

Anthony Short Antiques has dated these William IV Toleware Canisters to the 19th Century.

Height
41cm (16.14")
Width
25cm (9.84")
Depth
21cm (8.27")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1192989
Dealers Internal Ref
1452
Anthony Short Antiques
Anthony Short Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jul 2020
Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Anthony Short Antiques Profile Page

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A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes. SOLD16 OCT 26
1 / 6
Archive I A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes. SOLD16 OCT 26

Set of 3 William IV Painted Toleware Tea Canisters, C1830

Archive II A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes. View II
Archive III A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes. View III
Archive IV A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes. View IV
Archive V A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes. View V
Archive VI A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes. View VI
Enlarged Archival View
Telephone 07595 60 33 48
Location
Market Square
Petworth
West Sussex
GU28 0AH
United Kingdom

By appointment only.
Verified Since Jul 2020
Items For Sale 175
Items Sold 62
Anthony Short Antiques
Anthony Short Antiques
Verified Since Jul 2020
View Dealer Info
Location: Market Square, Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0AH, United Kingdom, , By appointment only.
Verified
Jul 2020
For Sale
175
Sold
62
A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes.
SET OF 3 WILLIAM IV PAINTED TOLEWARE TEA CANISTERS, C1830
Ref: SA1192989
A set of three black rectangular antique toleware tea canisters hand-painted with detailed Chinoiserie figures and red drapery scenes.
Detail View 1
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Archival Detail
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Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectTea Canisters
  • Period19th century
  • StyleWilliam IV Chinoiserie
  • MaterialToleware, Painted Metal, Tinplate
  • ColourBlack, Red, Gold
  • MotifsChinoiserie figures, Japanned black ground, Cylindrical caps, Draped curtains motif
  • SizeH 41 cm (16 in) x W 25 cm (10 in) x D 21 cm (8 in)

This set of three nineteenth-century English toleware shop tea canisters belongs to the William IV period. Each rectangular tinplate canister retains its original domed lid with cylindrical caps featuring horizontal yellow bands. The exterior displays a black japanned ground adorned with hand-painted Chinoiserie figures, trade scenes, and red draped curtains motif framed by gilt borders. The painted surfaces show surface wear, scuffs, and minor paint losses consistent with age and previous shop use. Each piece measures 41 cm high, 25 cm wide, and 21 cm deep. Designed originally for grocers' shops to store tea, these decorative metal canisters suit a variety of traditional settings in a modern home. They work well displayed in a kitchen, a pantry, or arranged along a sideboard top. The set brings historic character to open shelving or antique metalware collections while offering functional display storage.

Toleware refers to decorative objects crafted from painted or lacquered sheet iron, which gained widespread popularity in Britain during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. During the William IV era, these items frequently featured hand-painted Chinoiserie narrative scenes and gilded highlights.

These canisters were manufactured from hand-rolled tinplate with folded and soldered seams. The metal surface was coated with layers of dark varnish or black paint before artisans applied hand-painted decoration, often featuring oriental figures and architectural elements.

Period pieces display natural age-related characteristics such as craquelure to the varnish, minor oxidisation at the joints, and soft edge wear from handling. Authentic examples feature hand-painted artwork rather than modern transfer prints and utilize heavier gauge sheet metal.

A set of canisters works effectively as a grouped display on a dining room sideboard, open kitchen dressers, or inside a library bookcase. The dark japanned ground and detailed artwork provide visual interest across both traditional and eclectic decorative schemes.

Dust the surface regularly with a soft, dry cloth or feather duster to prevent grime build-up. Avoid using water, liquid solvent cleaners, or abrasive polishes, as moisture can penetrate the paint layer and induce metal oxidisation.
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