A large pewter and wood tea canister

Description:

China, Yan Yihe Loong Kee, Swatow, c. 1900
H. 18 cm, D. 13,5 cm
Cylindrical body with a double-walled construction: the inner liner, base, neck and lid are made of export pewter, whilst the exterior is clad with a wooden sleeve made from a gnarled piece of root or trunk. Lid with engraved dragon and waves decoration; neck and foot bands with engraved floral decoration. The base and the inside of the lid with bilingual maker's marks: a rectangular seal ‘Chao Yang / Yan Yi He Long Ji’ surmounted by the export mark ‘E WO / LOONG KEE / PEWTER / SWATOW’. To the left, an oval quality mark reading ‘Zhen Liao Dian Xi’ for high-purity pewter.
Formerly from an old German private collection - Signs of wear, slightly chipped, lid slightly dented