Ovoid teapot with incurved neck and low-domed, hinged lid topped by a cross-and-flared-square finial on four legs ending in lion's paw feet; flat-chased mimosa foliage on body and a curvilinear cross design on lid. Sharply-angled handle, square in section and pinned into thin insulators, has a scroll-ended upper terminal and square-and-scroll lower terminal. Circular lion's masks at top corner of handle, sides of S curve spout and middle of leg mounts and sides of the S curve spout. Convex strainer attached inside body at spout. Underside of flat bottom is struck incuse with a circular mark containing a pointed shield with balanced scales bordered by "MERIDEN / B. COMPANY" in sans serif letters; "PATENT APPLIED FOR" is stamped above and "1877" and "5" are below. From a six-piece coffee and tea service, 1984.0424.13-.18.
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