Paper Scroll Tea Caddy
Antique 1790s British Georgian Tea Caddies
Satinwood
Antique Late 18th Century English Georgian Tea Caddies
Paper
Antique 1780s English George III Tea Caddies
Ivory, Mahogany, Satinwood, Paper
Antique 1790s English Tea Caddies
Hardwood
People Also Browsed
Antique Mid-19th Century English High Victorian Taxidermy
Other
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Card Tables and Tea Tables
Lacquer
Antique Early 19th Century English Tea Caddies
Tortoise Shell
Antique 1770s Chinese Qing Tea Caddies
Mother-of-Pearl
Antique 18th Century Dutch Baroque Ceramics
Ceramic, Pottery
Antique 19th Century English Tea Caddies
Antique 19th Century British Regency Tea Caddies
Sterling Silver, Brass
Antique Late 18th Century English Georgian Tea Caddies
Mahogany
Antique 18th Century English Georgian Barware
Satinwood
Antique Late 18th Century English Georgian Tea Caddies
Mahogany
Antique 1780s English George III Tea Caddies
Ebony, Kingwood, Harewood, Holly, Burl
Antique Late 18th Century British George III Tea Caddies
Tin
Antique Mid-19th Century British Tea Sets
Mahogany, Satinwood
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Tea Caddies
Brass, Zinc
Antique Late 18th Century British George III Tea Caddies
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century English Edwardian Tea Caddies
Wood
Recent Sales
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Tea Caddies
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Tea Caddies
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Tea Caddies
Antique 19th Century English Tables
Antique 1780s English Georgian Tea Caddies
Mahogany, Paper
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Tea Caddies
Antique Late 18th Century English George III Tea Caddies
Paper, Wood
Antique 1790s English Sheraton Tea Caddies
Paper
Antique 18th Century and Earlier British Decorative Objects
Mahogany, Paper
Antique 18th Century British Hepplewhite Tea Caddies
Paper
Antique 18th Century British George III Tea Caddies
Paper
Finding the Right tea-caddies for You
There are lots of uses for your vintage, new or antique tea caddies, but they can certainly serve their original intended purpose if needed.
When tea first gained popularity during the 1800s, and teatime became commonplace in homes all over England, it was an expensive commodity owing to excessive taxation. (This, of course, inevitably yielded a black market for tea leaves.) Tea drinkers hoarded their precious goods, which began to arrive in London ports from China during the 17th century, under lock and key. In luxury homes, tea leaves were stowed away in a decorative jar or canister called a tea caddy that was fitted with a lock, or, alternatively, the container was kept in a secured chest or storage cabinet.
Tea was thought to be not just a delicious drink but also to have medicinal benefits. The Chinese had been praising the healthy properties of tea, and wealthy Europeans were eager to discover its benefits for themselves during their ritual afternoon tea. The idea of “teatime” wasn’t a social event in upper-class British homes until the 1830s or 1840s. During Queen Victoria’s reign, small baked treats might be served with your beverage, and teakettles and coffeepots were part of tea services that could include teacups, saucers, a milk pot and other accessories.
When tea cultivation was relegated to British colonies such as India, and the British East India Company could no longer hold onto its trade monopoly with China, tea was no longer a ritual confined to the wealthy. Today, antique and vintage tea caddies are collector’s items all over the world.
Tea caddies weren’t unique to Europeans. The earliest pieces originated in China. Surviving hand-painted examples from China or elsewhere in Asia made of porcelain might feature enameled landscapes or other designs. At the Taft Museum of Art, there are striking enameled 18th-century-era tea caddies of copper that were given to the institution in 2014. Wooden tea caddies materialized over time and were seen as sturdier than their ceramic counterparts.
Today, there are all kinds of ways to use a vintage tea caddy if you’re passing on tea. They’re a welcome decorative flourish on the mantel in your living room, for example. A metal tea caddy, lined with a plastic bag, can be used to cultivate an herb garden on your kitchen windowsill. An old wooden tea caddy can help keep your paper clips or pushpins organized on your desk too. If you’re always on the go, a tea tin is good for packing earbuds, hand sanitizer, gum or whatever else that might get easily lost in a roomy crossbody messenger bag or other shoulder bag.
Teatime or not, find antique and vintage mid-century modern tea caddies, tortoiseshell caddies and more on 1stDibs.
Read More
African Travel Plans on Hold? This Ardmore Leopard Vase Brings the Beauty of the Savanna to You
It’s an excellent example of the sought-after ceramics coming out of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province.
With a High-Tech Flagship and Cool Collabs, Lladró Is Breaking the Mold for Porcelain Production
Thanks to its new leadership, the Spanish maker of figurines, busts and lighting is on a mission to update the art of porcelain for the 21st century.
Zoë Powell’s Magnolia 05 Vessel Is Handmade from Clay She Unearthed Herself
The free-form stoneware piece is inspired by the magnolia tree and its associations with home.
8 Ways to Breathe New Life into a Space with Plants
The pair behind the Instagram account @houseplantclub share their tips for making any room of the house gloriously green.
Paris Gallerist Sandy Toupenet Gets Fired Up over 20th-Century Ceramics and Inventive New Makers
Her space on the city’s Left Bank mixes mid-century pieces by the likes of Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso with whimsical contemporary creations.
These Soft Sculptures Are Childhood Imaginary Friends Come to Life
Miami artist and designer Gabriela Noelle’s fantastical creations appeal to the Peter Pan in all of us.
This Vivacious Teapot Has Agnes Martin on One Side and Jean-Michel Basquiat on the Other
Ceramist Roberto Lugo brings a street-art sensibility to a dainty serving vessel while paying homage to his artistic heroes.
This Rare Set of 100 Alessi Vases Includes Designs by Scores of International Artists
Alessandro Mendini, Michael Graves, Ettore Sottsass and other design luminaries contributed to this unusual collection of porcelain wares representing a time capsule of late-20th-century decorative art.