Arthur & Bond was an English firm based in Yokohama, Japan, that manufactured and retailed silver. Their most famous piece was the Liscum Bowl, a giant punch bowl made in 1902 from bullion rescued by the US army from the Boxer Rebellion, and presented to the 9th Infantry Regiment by order of the Chinese statesman Li Hung Chang. The company employed local Japanese silversmiths, and pieces such as this teapot were produced for English expatriates and foreign travellers. The Japanese Iris is a native plant of Japan, and its blossoming is an important marker of the beginning of Summer, with Iris festivals held throughout the country in celebration. An auspicious symbol and popular motif, the Iris pattern appears on many pieces produced by the firm and utilises traditional Japanese silversmithing techniques, such as the spot-hammering that can be seen across the surface of the teapot.
