Late 19th c. Tengelmann colonial tea tin with dragon motif
CHF 160
Origin: Germany
Artist / Attribution: Tengelmann & Püngel
Year / Period: Late 19th century (c. 1885–1900)
Materials: Embossed tinplate
Features:
- Dragon motif and faux-Chinese design typical of colonial branding
- Early “TP” logo (Tengelmann & Püngel)
- Used for tea trade during Germany’s colonial goods era
- Strong surface patina and visible age texture
- Historical artefact of European consumer history
Marks / Signatures: Embossed “TP” triangle and Tengelmann logo
Condition: Strong vintage patina. Surface oxidation, fading and worn spots consistent with age. Structurally sound.
Measurements: Approx. 20 × 17 × 17 cm
An exceptionally rare colonial goods tea tin from the late 19th century, produced by Tengelmann & Püngel, one of Germany’s most prominent trading houses of the time.
The embossed design features a stylised dragon, ornate Asian-inspired symbolism, and the early “TP” triangle logo, used before the turn of the century. These tins were likely used in shop displays or as packaging for high-end tea blends.
With its unpainted metal body and richly patinated surface, this tin offers a striking example of period branding tied to the imperial era of global trade — a conversation piece for collectors of advertising history, German commercial design, or tea culture.
From a time when tea came with dragons.
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