Penrose Antiques

Description

We have for sale the perfect addition to a collection of rare militaria, an Indian silver plated campaign teapot made in Agra and carrying an inscription referring to the 3rd Brigade, Royal Artillery c1884.

This rather unusual thickly silver plated teapot is outwardly of a usual form, but a slightly closer inspection reveals it is anything but usual. The teapot actually consists of four separate components, a teapot with a hinged lid, a teapot base designed as separate jug in which the teapot sits and two internal and removable canisters each with a sprung catch and a hinged lid. Presumably these canisters were designed to hold leaf tea. The teapot carries the inscription "Presented to SergT T. Dennis By Lieut G.R.T. Rundle, O BTY, 3 BGD, RA, 7-2-1884". O BTY, 3 BGD, RA refers to O Battery, 3rd Brigade, Royal Artillery. The base of the teapot and jug both carry makers marks consisting of an impressed stags head over the makers name Sooner Lall and the city name Agra, Agra of course is the home the Taj Mahal.

Historical Context of This Teapot
O Battery 3rd Brigade had served in Curragh, Ireland for several years. On 19 April 1880, O Battery embarked at Kingstown, bound for Avenmouth. From there, they marched towards Hilsea, some 95 miles away. The march was done in stages. On 25 June, the troops were inspected at Southsea Common by Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, before going to Okehampton for gunnery training. After that, they marched the final leg from Okehampton to Hilsea. At that time, the regiment consisted of 4 officers, 102 NCO officers and men, 4 officers and 66 troop horses.

On 20 September 1880, O Battery was posted to Agra, where they remained for 4 years.

It is probable that Sargeant T. Dennis was a long-standing member of O Battery, and the presentation marked the end of his service in India, if not his retirement. It is unclear if he remained in India or returned with O Battery from India.

The presenting office, Lieutenant G.R.T Rundle (1860 - 1947) was 24 years old in 1884. It is likely he had joined the regiment during the Agra posting. Rundle remained in India. In 1892 he married Ethel Phoebe Eleanor Muir (1868 – 2960) in Lucknow, Bengal. By 1902 he had become a Captain. He served in World War 1, rising to become a Colonel and being awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He eventually retired to Uckfield in Sussex, having achieved the honour of Commander of the Bath.

The teapot is 4 inches (10.2cm) high, 9.25 inches (23.5cm) long from spout to handle, 3.5 inches (8.9cm) deep , and weighs 1.29 Kg. It is in a very good condition for a campaign piece, the hinges and catches are all in an excellent condition and the piece only really carries the surface wear one would expect from a piece of this period. However, there is a region of rubbing to the silver plate around the base of the spout revealing the brass body of the teapot beneath.