«Kaiser’s Kaffee-Geschäft» tea tin · embossed metal

An upright rectangular tea tin in embossed metal, covered all round with a dense pattern of flowers and tendrils. On the hinged lid, embossed in two languages: «Kaiser’s Kaffee-Geschäft — Société Kaiser pour le commerce de café — Direkter Tee-Import — Importation directe de thé».

The embossing runs in seven lines across the whole lid, German and French side by side — so the tin was meant for the Swiss market. It is embossed flat, without colour; it reads best in raking light. That is exactly what makes it finer than any printed tin.

The lid is attached, not loose — it opens on a hinge and stays with the tin. Inside, the metal is bare and smooth, with no paper lining. The four sides carry the same pattern in vertical bands: flowers, leaves, tendrils, separated by narrow ridges.

Outside, the metal is silvery grey and darker in places, particularly at the edges and on the base. No rust is visible. The pattern is complete everywhere, nowhere flattened.

There is no photograph with a tape measure for this tin. It is about as tall as a hand is long. I will measure it on request.

• Embossed metal, upright rectangular
• Flower and tendril pattern on all four sides
• Lid attached, with hinge
• Lid embossing in German and French
• «Kaiser’s Kaffee-Geschäft» / «Direkter Tee-Import»
• Bare inside, no lining
• Measurement not confirmed

Good for its age. Tin holds its shape, lid closes and stays shut. Metal tarnished outside, embossing legible throughout. No rust, no rust-through, no dents in the pattern.