This 18th-century tea caddy made in China is getting some much-needed conservation work to prepare it for our upcoming exhibition, “The Celestial City: Newport and China,” which opens at Rosecliff on September 1. From the collection of Hunter House, the caddy has three wooden compartments lined with silk. The exterior is decorated with pierced and incised mother of pearl in a pattern of interlacing flowers and leaves on the sides, as well as birds and butterflies on the lid. The miniature ball-and-claw feet, handles and keyhole are silver. Over time, some of the mother of pearl pieces loosened or fell off. This happened because the underlying wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity, while the mother of pearl does not. Here, Objects Conservator Carola Schueller is applying an inert synthetic resin-based material to create a flat, smooth surface onto which the pieces will be glued back. The tea caddy is a gift of J.A. Lloyd Hyde. #newport #newportmansions #gildedage #chin...