Imari Tea Cup
Antique 18th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 18th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique Late 19th Century English Country Tea Sets
Ceramic
Antique 18th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 18th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 18th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century English Victorian Tea Sets
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century English Victorian Tea Sets
Ceramic
Antique 18th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 17th Century Edo Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 17th Century Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 18th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 17th Century Edo Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 17th Century Chinese Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 1830s English Rococo Revival Tea Sets
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
Antique 1880s English Japonisme Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 17th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
Antique 18th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Porcelain
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Meiji Tea Sets
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
Antique 1880s English Victorian Tea Sets
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
Antique 17th Century Chinese Edo Ceramics
Porcelain
Antique 17th Century Chinese Edo Ceramics
Porcelain
Antique 1790s English Georgian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 18th Century Japanese Edo Ceramics
Porcelain
Antique 18th Century Japanese Ceramics
Porcelain
Antique Early 19th Century George III Porcelain
Porcelain
Antique Early 19th Century English George III Ceramics
Porcelain
Antique 19th Century Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Porcelain
Antique 17th Century Edo Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Porcelain
Antique 18th Century Chinese Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Porcelain
Antique 1810s English Regency Porcelain
Porcelain
Antique 1810s English Regency Porcelain
Porcelain
Antique Early 19th Century English George III Ceramics
Porcelain
Antique Early 19th Century English Chinoiserie Porcelain
Porcelain
Antique Early 19th Century British Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 1880s English Tea Sets
Porcelain
Vintage 1910s English Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique 1880s British Tableware
Porcelain
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Imari Tea Cup For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Imari Tea Cup?
Finding the Right tea-sets for You
Ready to serve high tea and brunch for your family and friends? Start with the right antique, new or vintage tea set.
Tea is a multicultural, multinational beverage and isn’t confined to any particular lifestyle or age group. It has humble beginnings, and one of its best-known origin stories places the first cups of tea in 2700 B.C. in China, where it was recognized for its medicinal properties. Jump ahead to 17th-century England, when Chinese tea began to arrive at ports in London. During the early 1800s, tea became widely affordable, and the concept of teatime took shape all over England. Today, more than 150 million people reportedly drink tea daily in the United States.
Early tea drinkers enjoyed their beverage in a bowl, and English potters eventually added a handle to the porcelain bowls so that burning your fingers became less of a teatime hazard. With the rise in the popularity of teatime, tea sets, also referred to as tea service, became a hot commodity.
During Queen Victoria’s reign, teakettles and coffeepots were added to tea services that were quite large — indeed, small baked goods were served with your drink back then, and a tea set could include many teacups and saucers, a milk pot and other accessories.
During the early 1920s, a sterling-silver full tea service and tray designed by Tiffany & Co. might include a hot-water kettle on a stand, a coffeepot, teapot, a creamer with a small lip spout, a waste bowl and a bowl for sugar, which the British were stirring into tea as early as the 18th century.
But you don’t have to limit your tea set to Victorian or Art Deco styles — shake up teatime with an artful contemporary service. If the bold porcelain cups and saucers by Italian brand Seletti are too unconventional for your otherwise subdued tea circle, find antique services on 1stDibs from Japan, France and other locales as well as vintage mid-century modern tea sets and neoclassical designs.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021Japanese tea cups are usually called Yunomi, which are cylindrical in shape. They do not have any handles. These tea cups are made of ceramic materials and are the most common tea cups used in Japan. Grab your unique Yunomi tea cups on 1stDibs today.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Handleless tea cups are called “sipper cups”, and are probably the oldest form of tea cups. There’s also a proper way to use them - two fingers on the bottom and your thumb on top of the cup. On 1stDibs, find vintage and contemporary tea cups from some of the top sellers around the world.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A plate under a teacup is a saucer. Often, saucers come with teacups and show off matching designs. The use of saucers dates back to the Middle Ages. During the 18th century, people often poured tea onto the saucer to cool it and then sipped from the dish. On 1stDibs, find a large collection of saucers.
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