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Tea Caddies For Sale
Antique Regency Rosewood Brass & Floral Marquetry Inlaid Sarcophagus Tea Caddy
Located in King's Lynn, GB
A 19th Century regency antique rosewood inlaid marquetry tea caddy sarcophagus-form box, in good condition with marquetry to the top and front with wooden circular carrying handles w...
Category
Early 19th Century British Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Rosewood
19th Century English Regency Mahogany Tea Caddy with Seashell Inlay
Located in Stamford, CT
19th century English Regency Mahogany sarcophagus form tea caddy with satinwood and holly wood seashell inlaid top. The flame mahogany top framed by twin...
Category
Early 19th Century Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Bone, Mahogany, Satinwood, Holly
English 19th Century Domed Top Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy
Located in Atlanta, GA
English 19th Century Domed Top Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy with Silver Inlay and Ball feet
Category
19th Century English Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Tortoise Shell
Caribbean Mahogany Hinged Pedestal Tea Poy with Foliage Carvings, Circa 1820
Located in Charleston, SC
Caribbean mahogany hinged pedestal tea poy with fitted interior, foliate carvings, and resting on the original scrolled feet. Early 19th century.
Category
1820s Caribbean Anglo-Indian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Antique Silver Plated Octagonal Tea Caddy with Lapis Lazuli Colored Detail
Located in Tilburg, NL
Antique silver plated tea caddy with Lapis Lazuli colored detail. First half of the 20th century.
Beautiful and wonderfully patinat...
Category
Early 20th Century Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver, Silver Plate
18th Century Sterling Silver Locking Tea Caddy
By Michael Plummer
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Georgian English sterling silver locking tea caddy; an addition to our silver teaware collection.
This exceptional antique George III sterling silver locking tea caddy has a navette, paneled shaped form.
The body of this silver tea caddy box is embellished with bands of bright cut engraved volute spiraling leaf ornamentation on a matte background to the upper and lower portions; these bands flank a plain undulating bordered panel.
The ornamentation to the surface of the caddy alternates with panels of concave vertical fluted decoration.
This antique Georgian tea caddy is retains the original hallmarked flush hinged covers; the flush hinge indicates the fine quality of this piece.
The cover is embellished with further bright cut engraved undulating borders accented with bud motifs, in addition to simplified borders paralleling the domed paneled portion; the domed portions reflects the incurved shape of the body.
This impressive cover is surmounted with a cast sterling silver urn style finial, in the Classic Adams style.
The caddy retains the original fitted fully working lock and functional key.
This sterling silver tea caddy is a highly desirable shape and style.
Condition:
This Georgian silver tea caddy...
Category
1790s English George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver, Sterling Silver
Stunning Late 1800s Gothic Revival Walnut & Brass Tea Caddy Box W. Great Patina
Located in Lisse, NL
A very pleasing, late 19th century, double compartment tea caddy.
This marvellous and rare tea caddy is in very good condition and the burl walnut has a truly warm, deep and rich pa...
Category
Late 19th Century English Gothic Revival Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Bronze, Brass
Burr Yew 19th Century Tea Caddy
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A Very Attractive And Good Quality Early 19th Century Regency Period, Burr Yew Wood Tea Caddy Having Boxwood Strung Decoration Throughout, The Hinged Pagoda Top Enclosing Two Lidded ...
Category
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Yew
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
Regency Rosewood Sarcophagus Tea Caddy
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A Very Attractive Late Regency Period Rosewood Tea Caddy, Of Elegant Sarcophagus Form, Having Domed Lid With Mother Of Pearl Inlaid Decoration, Enclosing Two Lidded Divisions, Raised...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Rosewood
Chinese Large Mother of Pearl Mounted Armorial Tea Caddy for MacPherson
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A rare, incredible and large antique Chinese carved mother of pearl mounted tea caddy with armorial for MacPherson and dating from circa...
Category
1770s Chinese Qing Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl
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
19th Century Anglo Chinese Padouk Tea Caddy
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A Rare Mid 19th Century Anglo-Chinese Padouk Wood Rectangular Tea Caddy Having Attractive Silver Plate Mounted Decoration Throughout, The Hinged Lid Enclosing Two Lidded Divisions, W...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Padouk
Large 19th Century English Mahogany Sarcophagus Form Tea Caddy
Located in Atlanta, GA
England, circa 1880.
A large sarcophagus form tea caddy box in mahogany. Resting on four bun feet and opens to reveal a tin lined casing, two covered tea sections and a central crys...
Category
19th Century English Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Crystal
Antique Sarcophagus Tea Caddy, English, Loose Leaf Case, William IV, Circa 1835
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique sarcophagus tea caddy. An English, rosewood loose leaf tea case dating to the William IV period, circa 1835. A beautifully proportioned piece with fine detailing, ...
Category
1830s British William IV Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Hardwood, Satinwood
19th Century English Blonde Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy
Located in Atlanta, GA
19th Century English Blonde Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy
Category
19th Century English Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Tortoise Shell
Antique Chinese Export Black Lacquer Tea Caddy
Located in Forney, TX
A stunning antique Qing Dynasty Chinese export twin canister tea caddy / decorative table box. circa 1860
Hand-crafted in China for the European market when rare and exotic oriental...
Category
19th Century Chinese Qing Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Pewter
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 Tea Caddy, English, Loose Leaf Canister, Mixing Glass, Regency, C.1820
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique tea caddy. An English, flame mahogany loose leaf tea container with glass mixer, dating to the Regency period, circa 1820.
Attractive Regency period caddy with fi...
Category
1820s British Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Glass, Wood
Emerald Green Goat Skin Covered Wooden Cylinder Box in the Style of Aldo Tura
By Aldo Tura
Located in Winnetka, IL
This is a beautiful emerald green goat skin cylinder box with a brass pineapple finial on lid and wooden interior in the style of Aldo Tura.
Category
1950s European Vintage Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Blue glazed stoneware pot, Art Deco period by Roger Guérin, 1930s.
By Roger Guerin
Located in JOINVILLE-LE-PONT, FR
Magnificent Art Deco pot with its highly decorative lid, ideal as a candy dish, sugar bowl, trinket tray, or decorative object.
Roger Guérin (1896-1954) was a Belgian ceramist of the...
Category
1930s Belgian Art Deco Vintage Tea Caddies
Materials
Ceramic
Mahogany George II Period Tea Caddy
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
An 18th Century, George II Period, Mahogany Rectangular Tea Caddy Having Original Brass Swan Neck Handle To Hinged Top, Enclosing Three Interior Divisions And Elegant Canted Corners,...
Category
Early 18th Century English George II Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century Chinese Export Tea Caddy
Located in Charlottesville, VA
A black lacquered tea caddy. Great decoration and has interior compartment.
Category
19th Century Chinese Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Wood, Paint
Vintage Balsa Wood and Tin Lined Tea Box Workshop Prop Decor Storage
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Vintage balsa wood, and tin lined lidded tea box, retaining partial labels.
Category
1950s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Caddies
Materials
Wood, Paper
$236 Sale Price
20% Off
Georgian Rosewood Oblong Tea Caddy
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A very attractive, good quality, late 18th century rosewood oblong shaped tea caddy having satinwood strung mouldings and original brass hinges, with working lock and key.
Constructed using attractive rosewood timber which retains a good colour and patina, the satinwood strung mouldings used on this tea caddy create a really nice contrast.
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
Rosewood
Mother of Pearl Tea Caddy
Located in Dallas, TX
This beautifully crafted mother of pearl tea caddy from circa 1860 is a true testament to English craftsmanship and elegance. The exterior glows wi...
Category
1860s French Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy With Inlaid Mother Of Pearl
Located in Dallas, TX
Tortoiseshell tea caddy with inlaid mother of pearl from England. Metal lined under two lids. Excellent condition, circa 1860.
Category
1860s English Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Tortoise Shell, Mother-of-Pearl
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
Antique Regency Quality Mahogany Inlaid Tea Caddy
Located in Suffolk, GB
Antique Regency quality mahogany inlaid tea caddy having inlaid satinwood stringing, original ornate brass handles and escutcheon, lift up lid opening to reveal two tea caddies
Dim...
Category
19th Century English Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Other
$728 Sale Price
20% Off
Victorian Continental Silver .800 Hannau Footed Tea Caddy
Located in New York, NY
Victorian, Continental silver .800, footed tea caddy, Germany, with Hannau marks, circa. 1895, B. Neresheimer and Sohne - makers. Chased with dancing ...
Category
1890s German Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Sterling Silver
Antique English Tortoise Shell Tea Caddy
Located in New Orleans, LA
A beautiful tea caddy. The tortorise shell color is perfection.
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Tortoise Shell
Antique Irish Georgian Hand Cut Crystal Sterling Silver Tea Caddy George III
Located in Dublin, Ireland
An exceptionally rare Irish George III hand cut full lead crystal single tea caddy of rectangular outline with canted corners and outstanding quality, first quarter of the nineteenth century.
The finely chased silver mounted rim and hinged cover, hand cut with three bands of lozenges on a plain ground, decorative star cut base underneath.
Condition: Exceptional condition for such an early piece, with no losses or clouding inside, silver mounts are unmarked but test positive for silver. Wonderful age wear underneath on base. Lock is present but key does not turn. Back and front views are similar.
Measures: Height: 5.25” (13.5cm). Width: 3.75” (9.5cm). Depth: 3” (7.5cm).
Location: Dublin City, Ireland.
Stunning and rare Tea Caddy...
Category
18th Century Irish Georgian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Beautiful Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy
Located in Southall, GB
A fine Regency period rectangular tea caddy, veneered in panels divided by fine metal stringing. Silver metal escutcheon and key. Complete with an initialled plaque on the lid and ro...
Category
Early 19th Century European Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Ivory, Tortoise Shell
Antique French Art Deco Cardeilhac Paris Macassar Ebony Carved Covered Box or Ja
By Cardeilhac
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique Art Deco ebony box or jar.
By Cardeilhac, Paris.
With a carved melon shaped body and conforming lid.
In Macassar ebony.
M...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Tea Caddies
Materials
Ebony
A Hand Painted Apple Shaped Tea Caddy
Located in Reading, Berkshire
A 20th Century Hand Painted Hinged Lidded Tea Caddy In The Shape Of An Apple With A Metal Patinated Stalk
A tea caddy is a box, jar, canister, or other receptacle used to store tea...
Category
19th Century British Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Wood
$1,566 Sale Price
40% Off
Victorian Decorative Brass Bound Burr Walnut Domed Tea Caddy Chest With Key
Located in Reading, Berkshire
An Exquisite 19th Century Victorian Decorative Brass Bound Burr Walnut Domed Tea Caddy Chest
Features Two Caddy Compartments Which Feature Domed Wooden Lids & Each Has A Circula...
Category
19th Century British Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
$1,827 Sale Price
30% Off
English Birdseye Maple Sewing Box
Located in Huntington, NY
Regency birdseye maple sewing box with lions heads handles on each side & lions hairy paw feet with a key.
Category
Early 1800s English Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
$1,480 Sale Price
20% Off
English Antique Georgian Henry Clay Papier Mache Tea Caddy
By Henry Clay
Located in Northampton, GB
Featuring Countryside Scenes
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to introduce to the market this Papier Mache Tea Caddy by Henry Clay. The Henry Clay Tea Caddy of oval ...
Category
Early 1800s English George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Paper
Very Early Meissen Tea Caddy With Merchant Ship Scenes And Bud Knob, 1763-1774
Located in Vienna, AT
Rectangular porcelain box with rounded shoulders, small round, slightly domed lid with bud handle, colourful painted merchant scenes on the four sides and on the top of the lid, gold...
Category
Late 18th Century German Rococo Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Porcelain
Antique Continental Novelty Pear Fruit Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Novelty Fruit Caddy
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Continental Pear Fruit Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy turned in Sycamore shaped as a Pear fruit with globu...
Category
Early 1800s European George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Cut Steel
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
English Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy
Located in Dallas, TX
A lovely bow front tortoiseshell tea caddy inlaid with mother of pearl flowers and topped with a silver badge. English, circa 1870.
Category
1870s English Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver
Chinese Hexagonal Cast Brass Tea Caddy
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A Chinese hexagonal cast brass tea caddy, early 20th century. Each rectangular side with a shou symbol surrounded by five stylized bats on blue enamel ...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Antique Moroccan Silver Plated Tea Caddy Footed Candy Box
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
1920s Antique Moroccan Silver Plated Footed Tea Caddy with hinged lid.
This authentic Moroccan brass silver plated box has a beautiful etched geometri...
Category
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver Plate, Brass
English Regency Period Satinwood Marquetry Inlaid Serpentine Form Tea Caddy
Located in San Francisco, CA
An English Regency serpentine satinwood marquetry inlaid tea caddy with rosewood cross-banding throughout. The top is centered with a leaf roundel,the central front panel with an ova...
Category
1820s English Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Antique Russian Imperial Silver Chinoiserie Tea Caddy Gustav Klingert Moscow
By Gustav Klingert
Located in Portland, OR
A fine quality antique Russian Imperial silver tea caddy, engraved in the Chinoiserie style, by Gustav Klingert, Moscow, dated 1894.
Gu...
Category
1890s Russian Chinoiserie Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver
19th Century Chinese Canton Export Lacquered Giltwood Tea Caddy on Shishi Feet
Located in Haarlem, NL
Clover or quartreform shaped mid-19th century Chinese canton export tea caddy in gold lacquered wood on a black background.
Decorated with palace scenes...
Category
Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Pewter
$1,580 Sale Price
20% Off
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
$1,355 / item
1980s Vintage Fitz and Floyd Rain Forest Majolica Monkey Ceramic Teapot
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Fitz and Floyd Rain Forest Monkey Majolica ceramic Teapot.
Vintage Majolica Monkey Fitz and Floyd 1980s Rain Forest Teapot.
Designed as ...
Category
Late 20th Century Japanese Victorian Tea Caddies
Materials
Ceramic
Antique Berthold Muller/Neresheimer Sterling Silver Seated Pig Box or Tea Caddy
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique English figural silver box or tea caddy.
In sterling silver.
Made by Neresheimer and imported to England by Berthold Muller.
(Berthold Muller & Son was an important...
Category
20th Century British Edwardian Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver
Blonde Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy, England 19th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
Blonde Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy, England 19th Century
Category
19th Century English Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Tortoise Shell
Georgian Burr Yew Conch Shell Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Inlaid with Twin Conch Shells
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this beautiful antique Georgian Burr Yew wood Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of rectangular form wit...
Category
Late 18th Century English George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Yew
Great Shape & Color, Antique Tea Caddy inNutwood with Brass Lock and Hinges
Located in Lisse, NL
A very pleasing to the eye, early 1800s triple compartment tea caddy.
This marvellous tea caddy is in very good condition and the patinated nutwood has a truly warm, deep and rich p...
Category
Early 19th Century European Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Brass
Antique 19th Century French Beaux-Arts Silver-Mounted Enamel Tea Caddy by Risler
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique French enamel tea caddy.
Mounted with gilt silver mounts.
By Risler of Paris.
Decorated with polychrome birds or paradise, rock outcroppings, and flowers/flor...
Category
19th Century French Beaux Arts Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver, Enamel
Late 19th Century Chinoiserie Tea Tin
Located in High Point, NC
Late 19th century chinoiserie tea tin from England.
Category
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Tin
Antique Tea Caddy, English, Satinwood, Box, Mixing Glass, Regency, circa 1830
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique tea caddy. An English, rosewood and satinwood container with glass mixer, dating to the late Regency period, circa 1830.
Delightful R...
Category
Mid-19th Century British Regency Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Satinwood
Antique English Silver Tea Caddy - Sheffield 1893 - Atkin Brothers
Located in Bath, GB
A handsome Victorian solid / sterling silver tea canister with a repousse decoration to both body and pull-off lid.
The tea caddy is fully hallmarked for the well renowned silversmi...
Category
1890s British Late Victorian Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Sterling Silver
English Shagreen Tea Caddy 19th with Bone Finial
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique English shagreen cased six sided wooden tea caddy with nice silver mounts, bone finial and undivided interior. Comes with small silver pin to ...
Category
1880s English Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Silver
George III Period Mahogany Tea Caddy
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A Very Good Quality 18th century, Georgian Mahogany Rectangular Tea Caddy, Having Original Brass Handle To Hinged Top, Enclosing Divisions, With Unusual Glazed Panels To Front Bearin...
Category
Mid-18th Century English George III Antique Tea Caddies
Materials
Mahogany
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
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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