A silvered copper alloy tea caddy and a gilded copper alloy vase, unidentified makers, 19th Century.

From the Collection of Gösta Thames (1916-2006). Thence by descent.
Gösta Thames is well known in design circles as the designer of the Ericofon, also called ‘the Cobra’, designed for L.M. Ericsson. The model was presented in 1953. Mr Thames started his career in 1938 as an engineering apprentice at Ericsson. He was appointed to lead development work for the Ericofon, as the one-piece phone was called.
That he was fascinated with beautiful things is well known, but not many knew about his passion for Asian Art. He had from an early age a fascination with aesthetics and beauty of the Asian Art. He was a true academic collector and catalogued his collection and discussed the pieces with his friend Dr Bo Gyllensvärd, (director of the East Asian Museum in Stockholm 1959-1981. Head of Gustaf VI Adolf Asian Collection 1955-1973.)