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List of Makers and Retailers

REED, John: (fl. 1773-87). Cabinet- and looking glass maker in Silver Street (1776-78), and Pilgrim Street (1782), Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Advertisement for sale of stock-in-trade included tea chests, the Newcastle Courant, 1 June 1776. (DEFM) 

RICHARDSON, W.: Cabinetmaker at 20 Mary Street, Dublin, Ireland. Label in drawer of mahogany whatnot, c. 1825, stating ‘W. RICHARDSON GENERAL & FANCY CABINET MAKER 20 MARY ST. DUBLIN (Next Door to the Paving Board) Manufacturer of Portable Writing Desks. Guar-duavines, Tea Stores & Cadies [sic] Ladies & Gentlemens Dressing Cases. Ladies Work Boxes, &c. &c. &c. MILITARY CANTEENS & PLATE CHESTS MADE TO ORDER.’ (Christies, South Kensington, London, 24 October 2006, Lot 195)   

RICHMOND, W.: Mauchline ware manufacturer in Cumnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. Rectangular sycamore tea chest, c. 1830, with red pen-and-ink vermiculated pattern over-all, with wide black pen-and-ink borders of roses and thistles; lid inscribed ‘BAITH SIDES O’ THE TWEED’; two canisters; inner rim to left of lockplate impressed ‘W. RICHMOND CUMNOCK.’ (National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh; Chapter 7: Mauchline Ware, Figure 7.13)     

RIGG, Edward: (fl. 1750-65). Cabinetmaker in ‘New-market, near St. George’s Church’, Liverpool. Advertised ‘Mahogany Tea Chests at 5s per (sic) … Coffin furniture Gilt & Silver’d … Quicksilver and Tin Foyle, variety of Cabinet works in the newest Taste, as well as in the Common way, as after the designs of Chippendale …’ in Williamson’s Liverpool Advertiser, 14 December 1759. (DEFM) 

RITCHIE, Braidwood, Snr: Musselburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. Hand-written inscription inside lid of mahogany sarcophagus tea caddy states that it was presented to maker’s mother, Ann Mitchell, 27 June 1832. (Private collection)  

ROBB, A. & R.: Mauchline ware manufacturers in High Street, Coldstream, Scotland. Advertised an ‘Extensive variety of white wood work’ (transfer ware) under the heading ‘FLODDEN FIELD WOOD WORK’; ‘List of Articles’ included ‘Tea Caddies’ amongst over 50 different categories of item. (The Bodleian Libraries, The University of Oxford; Chapter 7: Mauchline Ware …, Figure 7.26) 

ROBINSON, Henry: Maker of shagreen and mahogany knife cases, tea caddies etc. at No. 11 Angel Court, Snow Hill, London; later at No. 18 Cow Lane. Trade card, 1802. (Heal, p. 152) 

ROBINSON, John: 34 Duke Street, St James’s (1795); 53 Piccadilly (1799-1810); 51 Piccadilly (1810), London; The Parade, Tunbridge Wells (1792-1809, only during summer months). Handbill, 1795, listing ‘Tea-boxes and Caddies with Prints or Plain’. Rectangular satinwood tea caddy with canted corners, inlaid decoration and stringing, c. 1800; octagonal label, upper section cut to form coat-of-arms, under lid stating ‘ROBINSON Tunbridge-Ware Manufacturer to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, and PERFUMER to their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess In Duke Street, St. James’s and Tunbridge Wells Sells every article of Tunbridge Ware on the most reasonable terms. Robinson’s is a Private House’; Royal coat-of-arms above label; two lidded compartments. (Anthony Preston Antiques, Stow-on-the-Wold). Large rectangular harewood tea chest with boxwood stringing, c. 1799, decorated with classical medallions in red; two canisters, also decorated with medallions, and well with engraved glass sugar bowl; left canister with circular label, stating ‘FROM Robinsons MANUFACTORY No 53 Piccadilly and TUNBRIDGE WELLS’. (Private collection; Chapter 6: Tunbridge Ware, Figure 6.4) 

ROBINSON, Richard: Listed under ‘Tortoiseshell and Ivory Box, Caddee, &c. Makers’ in Wrightson’s Triennial Directory of Birmingham, 1823. 

ROENTGEN, Abraham: German cabinetmaker working in London between 1733 and 1738. After return to Germany in 1754, advertised entry in Autumn Fair in Frankfurt: ‘Abraham Roentgen of Neuwied, the English cabinet maker, known for his artistic and delicate work, will again present commodes, chests, clock cases, chairs, armchairs, tables and other pieces in the French and English fashion with exquisite sculpture and ornaments …’. Large number of tea chests made in Germany but using some British imported mounts and exotic decorative veneers. Padauk tea chest, c. 1755, with plain brass mouldings, English brass handle and escutcheon; brass feet; spoon drawer on right-hand side, two brass tea canisters with cap lids, and large brass sugar canister with domed lid. (Private collection; Chapter 5: Wood …, Figure 5.56) 

ROOM, Herbert: Retailer; proprietor of ‘The Sheffield Stove Grate, Fender and Cutlery Depot, Papier Maché Lamp and General Furnishing Ironmongery Establishment, 16 Bull Ring & 1 & 2 Moor Street, Birmingham’. Included ‘An Unrivalled display of Tortoiseshell, Pearl and Ivory Tea Caddies, Chests …’ in ‘The Fancy Department’ in advertisement in Pigot & Co.’s Birmingham Directory, 1841, and in Wrightson & Webb’ s The Directory of Birmingham, 1843.  

ROPER, William (1734-83): ‘Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer, Near the Corner of Saint Edward’s Lane, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, Makes and Sells … Buroes and Bookcases, Large double chests of Drawers of Mahogany or Walnut-tree, Card Writing and Night Tables, Tea Chests, Hard Bords, Waiters and Bottle Boards …’. (Handbill on oak chest in Cambridge and County Folk Museum). In Trumpington Street (1733-1773); also in St Edward’s Lane (1750-1773) until his retirement in 1773. (DEFM, and ‘An anthology of regional furniture with makers’ identification’, D. Jones, (ed.), The Journal of the Regional Furniture Society, Vol. VII, 1993, pp. 113-4) 

ROSE, J.: (fl. 1821–37). Cabinetmaker and upholsterer at Smith Street (1821), at 9 Church Street (1822), at Orchard Place (1825), and at Anson Street (1837), Sheffield, Yorkshire. Trade label shows tea chest. (DEFM, and The J. Evan Bedford Library of Furniture History) 

ROSTILL, William: Listed as plater on steel, and ‘tortoiseshell, ivory & box case & caddee maker’ at 90 Hill Street, Birmingham, in Wrightson’s Triennial Directory of Birmingham, 1823, Wrightson’s Annual Directory of Birmingham, 1829-30, and Wrightson & Webb’s The Directory of Birmingham, 1833.  

 RUSSELL, James: (fl. 1814-1829). Joiner, cabinetmaker and upholsterer in Alnwick, Northumberland. Previously in partnership with son, Robert (c. 1811-1814). Stock book on dissolution of partnership, 5 July 1814, listing ‘paper hangings’ and furniture and fittings including ‘Commode drawer handles … 1 mock Tortise [sic] Shell tea chest … 4 Tea Caddies …’. (Records concerning partnership, The J. Evan Bedford Library of Furniture History) 

RUSSELL, Robert: (fl. 1841-73). Marquetry and Tunbridge ware maker at Vale Place (1841 onwards), at Chapel Place (1862), Tunbridge Wells. Exhibited at Great Exhibition, London, 1851. Made both tea chests and tea caddies. Tunbridge ware chest, c. 1860. Rosewood with perspective cube work on top, and marquetry decoration on sloping edges; distinctive lobed marquetry decoration on sides; two wooden canisters with lids with lobed marquetry, and cut-glass sugar bowl. (Fine Antique Boxes (Tony and the late June Stone; Chapter 6: Tunbridge Ware, Figure 6.34)