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Tea Caddies For Sale
Regency Chinoiserie Penwork Tea Chest
Located in Northampton, GB
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Regency Chinoiserie Penwork Tea Chest. The Tea Chest of rectangular form sits upon four brass ball feet with matching br...
Category
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Sycamore
Antique Wang Hing & Co. Chinese Export Silver Tea Caddy
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Chinese export silver tea caddy; an addition to our silver teaware collection.
This exceptional antique Chinese silver tea caddy...
Category
1890s Hong Kong Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver
Antique Victorian Royal Horse Racing Prize Tea Chest with Silver Tea Caddies
Located in Northampton, GB
Awarded at Fernhill 18th August 1843
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are thrilled to offer this Ebonised Tea Chest given as a Royal Prize is 1843. The Tea Chest of rectangular for...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Early Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver
Chippendale Tea Caddy, c1770
Located in valatie, NY
Chippendale tea caddy, c1770, burl veneered mahogany paneled front and sides with cross banded border raised on original ball and claw cast brass...
Category
Late 18th Century English Chippendale Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Old English Sheffield Silver Plate / Lion Head Side Handle Tea Caddy
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Experience the timeless allure of our Old English Sheffield silver plate art deco style tea caddy, adorned with captivating lion head side handles and an attached cover. This extra...
Category
Late 19th Century English Art Deco Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver Plate
Antique Dome Top Tea Caddy, English, Burr Walnut, Box, Gothic Taste, Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique dome top tea caddy. An English, burr walnut and brass capped loose leaf box, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1880.
Wonderful Gothic revival finish to ...
Category
Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Walnut
Victorian Rosewood Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Dome Topped Tea Caddy
From our Tunbridge Ware collection, we are delighted to offer this Victorian Coromandel Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy. The Tea Ca...
Category
Late 19th Century English High Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Wood
£960 / item
Scottish Mauchline Ware Tea Caddy Attributed to Smiths
Located in Northampton, GB
Acorn Design
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are pleased to offer this Scottish Mauchline Ware Tea Caddy attributed to Smiths. The Mauchline Ware Tea Caddy of rectangular form ma...
Category
Early 19th Century Scottish Georgian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Sycamore
Antique Belgian Spa Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Depicting Various Spa Scenes
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to introduce this superb Belgian Spa Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of square form made from Sycamore is beaut...
Category
Late 18th Century Belgian George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Sycamore
19th Century Chinese Gold Lacquer Tea Caddy
Located in Brea, CA
19th century Chinese gold lacquer tea caddy container from the Qing Dynasty. Unique shape, hard to find.
Category
19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Lacquer
Georgian Ribbed Bucket Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Rare and unusual George III tea caddy in the form of a ribbed bucket.
The tea caddy of beautiful shape with a ribbed exterior carved from alternating panels of plain Sycamore and...
Category
Late 18th Century British George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Cut Steel
Set of 6 Mindanao Brass Silver Betel Boxes, Philippines
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting an amazing set of 6 Mindanao brass silver betel boxes, Philippines.
Betel chewing was prevalent in the southern Philippines as in much o...
Category
Late 19th Century Philippine Islamic Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver, Brass, Copper
Box Cannister Caddy Brass Tobacco Tea Dutch
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
A charming early tobacco box or tea cannister
Unusual, large size
Lovely soft contours which enhances the reflection of light in the interior
Original condition including hinges
length 21cm., 8 1/4" depth 7.5cm., 3" height 11cm., 4 1/2".
The Dutch were the main importers of tobacco in the 18th century and manufactured tobacco boxes to sell with...
Category
18th Century Dutch Baroque Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Antique English George III Tuscan Column Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
With Tuscan Columns & Fan Inlay.
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are pleased to offer this Georgian Harewood Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of octagonal shape with a Harewood veneer exterior and crossbanded Tulipwood with Boxwood edging. The front features an oval cartouche with a central fan inlay matching the lid with a further fan inlay surmounted by turned bone...
Category
Late 18th Century British George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Boxwood
19th Century English Tunbridge Ware Marquetry Tea Caddy
Located in Forney, TX
A well-made antique, circa 1830, English tea caddy with stunning marquetry inlays, warm coloring, superb detailing, and luminous rich patina!
When tea first arrived in Europe in t...
Category
19th Century English Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Antique Georgian Masonic Freemasons Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Featuring Masonic Scenes
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this extremely rare Georgian Masonic Tea caddy. The Tea Caddy of box form with chequered edging and borders of Tulipwood surrounding Burr Yew wood squares each featuring Satinwood oval panels depicting Masonic Symbols. The symbols include the past master, senior warden, junior warden and the past worshipful master. The top of the box features inlaid moon, stars and sun surmounted by a brass carry handle. The interior of the Tea Caddy features a floating lid with a turned metal handle. The Tea Caddy dates to the Georgian period during the reign of George III circa 1800.
The Tea Caddy comes complete with working lock and tasselled key.
Tulipwood is also known as Brazilian Tulipwood, Brazilian Pinkwood and Bahia Rosewood. It is found in South America, mainly Brazil. The colour is a warm yellow with streaks or brown-red grain.
Burr Yew originates from Asia, Europe and North Africa. It is yellow-brown to orange-brown and usually conforms to a fine uniform pattern. Yew wood usually has black pips scattered throughout so clean veneers fetch a high price and are reserved for finer items. A few trees will produce a burr which offers a distinct decorative finish.
Satinwood is found in India and Sri Lanka. It has a rich golden colour and an almost reflective sheen. Satinwood is traditionally used for high quality furniture.
Georgian, a period in British history dating from 1714-1837, the Georgian era after the Hanoverian kings George I, George II, George III and George IV.
Masonic (Freemasons, Freemasonry or Masonry) refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that from the end of the 14th century regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients. While Freemasonry is not itself a religion, all its members believe in a supreme being...
Category
Early 1800s English George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Satinwood, Tulipwood, Yew
Quality Antique Willian IV Rosewood Tea Caddy
Located in Ipswich, GB
Quality antique 19th Century William IV rosewood tea caddy, having a quality shaped rosewood top opening to reveal a fitted interior of a glass tea mixing bowl and a tea lidded compa...
Category
Early 19th Century William IV Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Rosewood
Georgian Novelty Apple Fruit Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Shaped as an Apple
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this superb Georgian Apple Treen Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy carved from Sycamore as a novelty Apple with a button stalk, shaped body and shaped cut steel escutcheon. When opened the Caddy reveals traces of the original tin foil lining for housing Tea leaves. The Apple Fruit Tea Caddy...
Category
Early 1800s English George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Sycamore
Leeds pearlware shaped creamware tea caddy, c. 1780
Located in Kenilworth, IL
Antique Bombay shaped English pearlware tea caddy with a distinctive decoration in blue cobalt. The caddy is hand decorated with flower pendants draped from rings painted from a cont...
Category
Late 18th Century British Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Earthenware, Wood
19th Century English Penwork Tea Caddy
Located in Atlanta, GA
19th Century English Penwork Tea Caddy
Category
19th Century English Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Wood
18th Century Chippendale Mahogany Tea Caddy
Located in London, GB
A mid-18th century Chippendale period figured mahogany tea caddy, ebony beaded and mahogany cross-banded throughout, having concave-shaped lid retaining original brass carrying handle.
Category
Mid-18th Century Great Britain (UK) Chippendale Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Mahogany
Antique Drawing Room Tea Caddy, English, Flame, Sarcophagus, Regency, circa 1820
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique drawing room tea caddy. An English, flame mahogany sarcophagus with glass mixer, dating to the Regency period, circa 1820.
Super...
Category
Early 19th Century British Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Wood
Antique Chinese Lead & Bronze Tea Caddy With Glass Covered Panels
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Antique Chinese 9-sided lead & bronze tea caddy with 18 hand-painted panels (behind glass) with ornate frames. Raised seal mark on base. The tea caddy with a removable domed lid and ...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Tea Caddies
Materials
Bronze, Lead
20th Century Sterling Italian Silver Tea Caddy George III replica
Located in VALENZA, IT
George III tea caddy replica.
Obtained from a silver sheet, it is rectangular in shape with shaped sides, it is embossed and chiseled with floral motifs and shells. The feet reprodu...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Georgian Tea Caddies
Materials
Sterling Silver
Dogs Candy Box by Edouard-Marcel Sandoz
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Dogs candy box by Edouard Marcel Sandoz (1881-1971) and manufactured by Haviland.
Wapler, Jacques-Ph. (1999) "De la sculpture a la porcelaine" p. 66.
France, CIRCA 1920.
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Tea Caddies
Materials
Porcelain
19th Century Chinese Lacquer Tea Caddy
Located in Brea, CA
Middle 19th century Chinese Export double lacquer tea caddy on stand from the Qing dynasty. octagonal form with hinged lid ,divided interior with me...
Category
19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Lacquer
Georgian Satinwood Tea Chest with Secret Compartments
Located in Northampton, GB
Georgian Tea Chest with Boxwood & Ebony Checkered Stringing
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Rare Georgian Satinwood Tea Chest. The Tea Chest of rectang...
Category
Late 18th Century British Georgian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver
Decorative Large Round Brass Box Caddy 19th C, North India
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Beautiful 19th century large hand-crafted decorative round polished brass box with lid delicately and intricately hand-hammered with repousse floral...
Category
19th Century Indian Agra Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Georgian Mahogany & Inlaid Tea Caddy
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A very attractive and good quality late 18th century Georgian mahogany oblong tea caddy, retaining good colour and patina, having attractive inlaid decoration to front and hinged lid, enclosing double sectioned interior with lids.
Tea was a precious commodity throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and the purpose of a tea caddy was not just to preserve the and extend the life of the precious tea leaves...
Category
Late 18th Century English Georgian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Mahogany
William and Mary Kingwood Strong Box or Coffre Fort Converted to a Teacaddy
Located in Essex, MA
Rectangular with brass strapping and side handles. Lock plate and flap. Fitted sometime in the 19th century as a tea caddy. Labeled Orange Pekoe and Black tea...
Category
1690s Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Tea Caddy
Located in Stamford, CT
Beautiful late 18th century tea caddy from England. Made of fruitwood with satinwood inlay. Inside two individual boxes with lids. A cut-glass ...
Category
Late 18th Century English Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Fruitwood
Hermes Carnets D'Equateur Tea Box
By Hermès
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare Hermes "Carnets D'Équateur" multi-color tea caddy in hand painted lacquered wood with jungle motif and stainless steel interior / Made in Vietnam
Original stamp at underside / c...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Tea Caddies
Materials
Wood
Victorian Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A Charming 19th Century Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy With Attractive Floral Band To Main Body And Parquetry Perspective Cubes To Hinged Lid Enclosing Lidded Interior.
Tea was an extrem...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Other
George III Burr Yew Tea Chest
Located in Northampton, GB
Lined with Red Velvet Circa 1790
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are pleased to offer this Georgian Burr Yew Wood Tea Chest. The Tea Chest of rectangular form featuring quadrant B...
Category
Late 18th Century English George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Cut Glass, Yew
Rare English Mahogany Tea Caddy – Mid 19th Century
Located in HÉRIC, FR
An antique tea chest, a treasured possession in the early Victorian era. This locked mahogany box preserved the tea leaves and was displayed in the d...
Category
Mid-19th Century Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Mahogany
Antique Flame Mahogany Empire Tea Caddy Wooden Casket Box 19th century
Located in Sweden, SE
Rectangular shape mahogany veneered casket made in first half of 19th century presumably in Europe. High quality work of applied arts in Neoclassical (Biedermeier) style. The fork of...
Category
Late 19th Century Empire Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Wood, Mahogany
Antique Austrian Silver Tea Caddy, circa 1955
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Austrian 800 standard silver tea caddy; an addition to our silver teaware collection.
This exceptional Austrian silver tea caddy has an...
Category
1950s Austrian Vintage Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver
Vintage Jasperware Christmas Mugs by Wedgwood Set of 4 circa 1970's
By Wedgwood
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Jasperware Christmas Mugs by WEDGWOOD Set of 4 circa 1970's, Made in England.
Lovely raised applied white jasper design detailing mugs featuring British monuments, Christmas mug from 1972 to 1975.
Vintage collectable 1970's Wedgwood of England pale blue Jasperware mugs...
Category
Late 20th Century English Late Victorian Tea Caddies
Materials
Porcelain
Louis XIV Style Boulle Tea Caddy
Located in Bradenton, FL
19th century Louis XIV style boulle tea caddy. Beautiful boulle has inlaid red and gold design on black lacquered background.. Features a double caddy...
Category
19th Century French Louis XIV Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Wood
French 1920s Metal Storage Bin with Decorative Hand Painted Portrait of a Woman
Located in Santa Monica, CA
French 1920s metal storage bin with decorative hand painted portrait of a woman.
Category
Early 20th Century French Tea Caddies
Materials
Tin
£451 Sale Price
20% Off
Georgian Oval Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Georgian Oval Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of elongated Oval form veneered in Harewood with Box...
Category
Late 18th Century British George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
£3,800
Small Antique Octagonal Tented Top Amboyna Tea Caddy. English C.1820
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
A very special tea caddy
Burl amboyna with silver wire stringing. Mother of pearl finial and escutcheon.
Of special note is the exceptional quality of the inlay on the interior lid...
Category
1820s English Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Amboyna
Antique English George III Tortoiseshell and Silver Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Small oval tortoiseshell Tea Caddy with applied pressed silver with a rippled design. The front has an ornate silver escutcheon. The tortoiseshell & silver tea caddy interior contains most of its original tin lining with a rippled silver surround incorporating the hinge, and a single floating tortoiseshell lid with silver ball handle which rests on the tea to keep it fresh.
This delightful little oval tea caddy...
Category
Early 19th Century British Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver
19th Century English Rosewood Teapoy Tea Caddy
Located in San Francisco, CA
An unusual and large William IV rosewood teapoy or tea caddy in beautiful original condition. The glass mixing bowl is missing, England, circa 1830.
Category
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Rosewood
19th Century Chinese Export Lacquer Tea Caddy
Located in Mt Kisco, NY
The burgundy / brown lacquer is decorated with gold depicting figures and buildings in a landscape. The caddy stands on four carved wooden feet in the shape of claws. The interior contains a single pewter canister...
Category
19th Century English Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Paper
Quality antique Victorian tunbridge ware inlaid tea caddy
Located in Ipswich, GB
Quality antique Victorian tunbridge ware inlaid tea caddy having a lovely antique Victorian tunbridge ware inlaid tea caddy with beautiful detail to the box opening to reveal two rec...
Category
Early 19th Century Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Wood
Antique 18th Century Georgian Mahoghany Paper Scroll Work Tea Caddy Box 1780
Located in Portland, OR
A good antique Georgian scrollwork tea caddy, circa 1780.
The caddy of hexagonal shape, the front, back & cover with overall decoration of paper s...
Category
1780s English George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Ivory, Mahogany, Satinwood, Paper
19th century English Rosewood Tea Caddy with Mother of Pearl Inlay
Located in Savannah, GA
Tea Caddy made of rosewood with extensive mother-of-pearl decoration to the top and front. Special features include bun feet and unusual handles on either side with mother-of-pearl b...
Category
1810s English Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Rosewood
£753 Sale Price
37% Off
Georgian Burr Yew Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Burr Yew Inlaid Tea Caddy Circa 1780
From our Tea Caddies collection, we are thrilled to offer this square Georgian Burr Yew wood inlaid Tea Caddy. The Caddy of square form with c...
Category
Late 18th Century English Georgian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Boxwood, Yew
Antique George III Green Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Georgian Period Circa 1790
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Georgian Green Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy. The Tea...
Category
Late 18th Century English George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver
Georgian Original Painted Sycamore Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
George III Circa 1785
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Rare Original Hand-Painted Sycamore Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of Octagonal form veneered in Sycamo...
Category
Late 18th Century George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Sycamore
Scottish Mauchline Ware Tea Caddy attributed to Smiths
Located in Northampton, GB
Scottish Mauchline Ware
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this rare Mauchline Ware Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of rectangular form extensively decorated with a repeating pinstripe pattern throughout the entire exterior of the Tea Caddy upon a Sycamore carcass. The decoration features a striped effect with alternating classical scrollwork, linked chain and pin striped vertical line transfers in shades of gold, green and red. A shield-shaped escutcheon finishes the exterior of the Caddy. When opened the Tea Caddy reveals a single Caddy compartment with traces of the original foil lining and the Caddy the original full length wooden Cumnock Hinge. The Tea Caddy dates to the late Georgian Period during the reign of George IV Circa 1830. The Tea Caddy is a rare example of early Mauchline Ware especially because of the Type of decoration used and extremely good condition, a superb addition to any collection. We firmly attribute the Tea Caddy to renowned Scottish Mauchline Ware makers Smiths from the extremely close similarities between this Caddy and a previous one in our archives signed by Smiths.
The Tea Caddy comes complete with working lock and tasselled key.
Mauchline Ware was the production of Scottish white-wood products, it was mainly manufactured from the 1820s until 1939. The production of souvenir woodware for the tourist market began in the 1790s with the snuff box industry in Ayrshire. By 1820, Mauchline ware was well established, supplying souvenirs from wood grown ‘on the Field of Bannockburn’, ‘on the Abbey Craig’, ‘on the slopes of Stirling Castle’ and made into sewing requisites, egg cups, trinket boxes and many other kinds of souvenirs, transfer printed with a line drawing of the place. The firm Smith’s who regarded as the the leading and most renowned manufacturer of Mauchline War among a few lesser known and shorter lived companies. They ranged from the basic transfer as on small vases to boxes and smaller household accessories...
Category
Early 19th Century Scottish William IV Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Sycamore
Regency Mahogany Tea Caddy Miniature Serpentine Sideboard
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
An Extremely Rare And Exceptionally Good Quality English Regency Period Mahogany Tea Caddy, In The Form Of A Serpentine Miniature Sideboard, Having Lift Up Hinged Lid With Attractive...
Category
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Mahogany
Antique George III quality mahogany tea caddy
Located in Ipswich, GB
Antique George III quality mahogany tea caddy having a quality antique George III mahogany and satinwood inlaid stringing tea caddy with a lift up lid opening to reveal the original ...
Category
19th Century George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Mahogany
Antique English George III Satinwood Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
With Conch Shell Inlay
From our Tea Caddy Collection, we are pleased to offer this superb Georgian Satinwood Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of rectangula...
Category
18th Century English Georgian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Boxwood, Satinwood, Tulipwood
Victorian Burr Walnut Studded Tea Caddy With Engraved Brass & Green Baize
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Beautiful Victorian Burr Walnut Studded TeaCaddy Chest With Engraved Brass Details & Camel Bone Supports 1800's
Would make an ideal present for any occasion.
Category
19th Century Spanish Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Antique English George III Inlaid Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are pleased to offer this Georgian octagonal Inlaid Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of octagonal form veneered in Harewood with inlaid twin Tuscan Columns ...
Category
Late 18th Century English Georgian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Boxwood
Georgian Octagonal Inlaid Tea Caddy
Located in Greenwich, CT
Fine George III octagonal tea caddy inlaid with various woods on a harewood ground, the central panels veneered with coucous wood and banded by holly stringing around a kingwood band, vines and berried...
Category
1780s English George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Ebony, Kingwood, Harewood, Holly, Burl
Antique English Walnut Tea Caddy Small Desk Box Victorian with Dovetail
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique English walnut tea caddy small desk box Victorian with Dovetail. Item features dovetailed joints, solid wood construction, beautiful wood grain,...
Category
19th Century Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Walnut
Mid-18th Century George II Period Tea Chest, Manner of Abraham Roentgen
Located in Richmond, London
This extremely rare tea-chest is a fine example of the mid-18th century fashion for brass-inlaid furniture and boxes, and undoubtedly originates from the circle of outstanding crafts...
Category
Mid-18th Century English George II Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Vintage, New and Antique Tea Caddies
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.
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