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...
Silver
$1,626Sale Price|35% Off
Antique Regency Rosewood Sarcophagus Tea Caddy With Separate Tea Compartments
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Antique English Regency Rosewood, Sarcophagus Shaped Tea Caddy With Two Separate Tea Compartments and Individual Handled Lids, Centred on Four Bun Feet Circa 1700's Great patina em...
Brass
Georgian Mahogany Inlaid Tea Caddy, England, Circa 1790, Antique Box
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...
Mahogany
Georigan Cherry Wood Tea Vessel
Located in Vienna, AT
A wonderful tea vessel made out of cherry wood in Vienna in about 1830-1850. Beautifully decorated by a silver plated application of a house and a landscape (some brassing).
Silver
1890s European Sterling Silver Bumble Bee Box
Located in Tarrytown, NY
European box, 2.8 ounces of solid silver. Bumble bee pulling a chariot.
Sterling Silver
A Very Rare Irish William IV Tea Poy Attributed To 'Strahan' of Dublin
Located in Dublin, IE
A very rare early 19th Century Irish William IV well figured rosewood teapoy of exceptional quality, finely hand carved with beautifully rich patination and fine grain. The moulded ...
Brass
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...
Ebony, Kingwood, Harewood, Holly, Burl
Sterling Navette Form Dutch Scene Gilt Interior Tea Caddy British Import Mark
By Samuel Boyce Landeck
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A sterling silver navette form Dutch scene gilt interior tea caddy with British import mark, makers mark SBL for Samuel Boyce Landeck, (Sheffield 1897). Decorated with couples in a t...
Sterling Silver
Antique Victorian Brass Mounted Coromandel Tea Caddy
Located in Ipswich, GB
Antique Victorian Brass Mounted Coromandel Tea Caddy with a fitted interior and working key.
Brass
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...
Ivory, Mahogany, Satinwood, Paper
Quality antique Regency rosewood tea caddy
Located in Ipswich, GB
Quality antique Regency rosewood tea caddy, having a quality antique Regency tea caddy of rectangular shape with ring handles to the sides, a lift up lid opening to reveal a fitted i...
Rosewood
19th Century Chinese Victorian Tea Caddy
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Hand-crafted in China for the European market, this Asian-style English black lacquered octagonal hinged tea caddy features a decorative stenciled motif of pagodas and foliage in gil...
Pewter
Antique 20th Century Russian Solid Silver Chinoiserie Tea Caddy, Moscow c.1900
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique early 20th Century Imperial Russian partly gilt solid silver hexagonal tea caddy featuring a detailed Chinoiserie design, depicting a seated scholar surrounded by flowers. The decoration is partly gilded, adding depth and richness to the scene. The interior of the box is richly gilt, complementing the intricate exterior design and enhancing its overall opulence. Hallmarked Russian Silver 84 (875 standard), Moscow, Assay Master (Ivan Lebedkin...
Silver
Attractive antique Victorian quality rosewood tea caddy
Located in Ipswich, GB
Attractive antique Victorian quality rosewood tea caddy, having an attractive bombe sarcophagus form quality tea caddy, with a lift up lid opening to reveal a fitted interior with tw...
Rosewood
$995Sale Price|37% Off
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...
Mother-of-Pearl, Rosewood
Mid 19th century Chinese export hand painted tea caddy
Located in Allentown, PA
This is a mid 19th century handpainted Chinese export tea caddy. This tea Caddy stands on four hand carved miniature foo dog sculpted feet. This tea caddy has its original pewter lin...
Wood
Early Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy with Two Compartments c1830
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Heading : Early Tunbridge ware tea caddy with two compartments Date : c1830 Period : George IV / William IV Origin : Tunbridge Wells or Tonbridge, Kent Decoration : Central styli...
Wood
Pair of Large Floor Sized Victorian Period Tin Tea Caddies, 19th C
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A pair of large floor sized Victorian period tin tea caddies, hopper, box bulk tea bins. Original black lacquer and hand painting has wear. Slanted Lids are original. Work beauti...
Tin
Antique 18th-Century Georgian Burr Yew Tea Caddy—Elegant, natural wooden box
Located in Saint Helena, CA
Two hundred years of history, meticulously craftsmanship, rare wood, and natural beauty! This beautiful tea caddy is dated circa 1780, is "of the period" Georgian s...
Yew
$937Sale Price|25% Off
19th Cenury Black Lacquer Gilt Decorated Tea Caddy and Decorative Liners
Located in North Salem, NY
An old black lacquered, hand-painted tea caddy, finely crafted and richly decorated, designed for the storage of loose tea. The exterior is finished in a black lacquer, providing a g...
Metal
$1,400 / set
Pair of Mixed Wood Tea and Coffee Vessels
Located in Greenwich, CT
Good pair of late 19th Century English or Scottish mixed wood treen coffee and tea containers, having compass star inlaid turned lids over turned bodies of ...
Birch, Mahogany
19th Century English Regency Mahogany Tea Caddy
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th century English Regency Mahogany Tea Caddy with Flame Motif on four Bun Feet. Lock is signed by maker.
Mahogany
Antique Sterling Silver Tea Caddy and Spoon (1914)
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique George V English sterling silver tea caddy and spoon; an addition to our silver teaware collection. This exceptional antique George V ste...
Sterling Silver
Very Fine Biedermeier Period Tea Caddy of Bombe Form in Exotic Woods, circa 1830
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A very fine and visually striking Biedermeier Period tea caddy of exceptional quality, demonstrating a highly elevated form and a most complex application of exotic woods. The hinged...
Zebra Wood, Yew, Amboyna, Satinwood
Antique English Victorian Mahogany Teapoy, Circa 1880-1890
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique English Victorian mahogany teapoy, Circa 1880-1890.
Mahogany
Japanese Lacquered Natsume 'Tea Box'
Located in PARIS, FR
Natsume in dark red lacquer, decorated with autumn leaves and cherry blossoms in hiramaki-e and nashiji. Interior in black lacquer. Maple leaves (Momiji) are celebrated in literatur...
Lacquer
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.
Brass
Set of 3 William IV Period Painted Toleware Shop Tea Canisters
Located in Petworth,West Sussex, GB
A Set of Three Exceptional 19th-Century Toleware Shop Tea Canisters A superb and very decorative set of three 19th-century William IV period English toleware tea canisters, origin...
Tôle
George III Mahogany Tea Caddy with Inlay & Burled Crossbanding
Located in Atlanta, GA
George III Mahogany Tea Caddy with Inlay & Burled Crossbanding, ca. 1790
Mahogany
Pair of Victorian Carved Mahogany Tea Caddies with Tin Linings, circa 1880
Located in Morristown, NJ
Pair of Victorian Carved Mahogany Tea Caddies with Tin Linings, England, c. 1880 A handsome and uncommon pair of late 19th-century English tea caddies in cylindrical canister form, ...
Tin
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.
Rosewood
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.
Lacquer
19th Century Sea Captain's Tea Caddy
Located in Nantucket, MA
Early 19th century sea captain's tea caddy, circa 1830, made of coramandel wood gathered in the Spice Islands China Trade, with sailor's grommet-spliced rope becket handles. The inte...
Wood
Early 19th Century English George III Tea Caddy with Shell Inlay
Located in Atlanta, GA
Early 19th Century English George III Tea Caddy with Shell Inlay
Wood
Large Chinese Tea Box Black Lacquered Gilt Hand Painted Octagonal Box 1940s
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Large Chinese Export Tea Box Octagonal Black Lacquered Gilt Painted Covered Box 1940s. Antique Chinoiserie black lacquer box with numerous figures and gilt detail. Asian Chinese blac...
Giltwood, Lacquer
Regency Tole Hot Water Urn
Located in Essex, MA
Chinoiserie decorated with cover with ball finial over a cylindrical body with lions head rings , lower spigot and pierced square plinth and paw feet.
Tin
English Regency Mahogany Lyre Pedestal Brass Foliage Inlaid Tea Poy, Circa 1810
Located in Charleston, SC
English Regency mahogany rectangular hinged tea poy with fitted interior bins, central lyre pedestal, foliage brass inlays, flanking gilt floral pulls, and res...
Brass
Oriental Chinese Octagonal Black Lacquered Gilt Painted Covered Box 1940s
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Antique Oriental Chinese Export Black Lacquered Gilt Painted Covered Box 1940s. Large Asian Chinese black lacquered tea box with nume...
Giltwood, Lacquer
$975
1910 Egg Crate
Located in New York, NY
Hand-picked by buyers at Ann-Morris Inc.
Aluminum
English Regency Tea Caddy with Inlay and Interior Lid, 19th Century
Located in Savannah, GA
English Regency Tea Caddy with Inlay and Interior Lid, 19th Century
Mahogany
Circa 1790 English George III Period Tea Caddy Box
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Circa 1790 George III period tea caddy box, English. Original inlaid inner caddies & a later cut glass sugar well. Old Sheffield plate silver pull. Banded in box or holly. Classic re...
Sheffield Plate
$135Sale Price|40% Off
Circa 1780 Continental Porcelain Tea Caddy
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Continental tea caddy, c.1780, molded soft paste porcelain. Neoclassical swag decoration, gilt monogram. No cover. Harvey Gunter collection. 3 1/4"w., 1 1/4"d., 5"h. Whitehall Antiq...
Porcelain
$165Sale Price|40% Off
Rosenthal Serb Bavaria Donatello Porcelain Creamer & Sugar Bowl
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Rosenthal Serb Bavaria Donatello Porcelain Creamer and Sugar Bowl with Gold Trim and Monogram "S" Made in Germany. Vintage. Dimensions Suga...
Ceramic
Mahogany Tea Chest, probably England, circa 1830
Located in New York, NY
Elegant mahogany tea chest featuring a decorative edge in light wood grain and a handle on the lid. The interior is meticulously lined with a light fabric, incorporating two hinged b...
Wood
Antique German Silver Tea Caddy
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive, antique German silver tea caddy; an addition to our silver teaware collection. This exceptional antique 800...
Silver
19th Century Chinese Tea Caddy
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hand painted with chinoiserie motif. Original inserts with etching.
Zinc
Rich Mahogany Regency Style Tea Caddie with Inlay and Brass Lion Rings
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Sumptuous Regency style mahogany tea caddie having boxwood string inlay on the sides and handsome brass lion rings as well as paw feet. Key included.
Brass
Regency Tea Caddy
Located in Tampa, FL
A regency tea caddy made of rosewood inlaid with brass. Bronze dore feet are a winged lion with flowers and fruit. A wonderful and desirable shape. E...
Brass, Bronze
Ceramic Elephant Teapot , hand made in South Africa
Located in North Miami, FL
Elephant Teapot Hand-Painted by Swelihle Khanyeza, Sculpted by Sbusiso Ndaba Love Art Ceramic, South Africa, 2024 Introducing the Elephant Teapot, a stunning ceramic piece that beau...
Ceramic
1890s Russian Silver Tea Caddy
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
This exceptional antique Russian silver tea caddy has a cuboid shaped form with rounded shoulders. The surface of this silver tea caddy has a...
Silver
Unique ceramic Tiger Teapot, hand made in South Africa
By Elvis Bonginkosi Mkhize
Located in North Miami, FL
This one-of-a-kind tiger teapot is a striking sculptural creation by Imvelo Studio, hand-sculpted by Sibongiseni Biyela and painted by Natebyron in South Africa. The tiger—rarely dep...
Ceramic
Antique English Regency Period and Styled Hand Painted Toleware Tea Caddy
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique English toleware tea caddy dates to circa 1820 and done in the period Regency style. This tea caddy is constructed of tin with a cast i...
Metal
Regency Tea Caddy of Sarcophagus Form Burr Yew c1820
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Heading :Regency tea caddy of Sarcophagus form in burr yew c1820 Date : c1820 Period : Regency Origin : England Decoration : Sarcophagus form in rosewood. Four brass ball feet. T...
Wood
English 19th Century Parnall & Sons Green Painted Tea Box with Glass Front
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English Parnall & Son green painted metal tea box from the 19th century with gilt painted floral frieze, glass front flat back and maker's mark. This English Parnall & Son green p...
Metal
Lovely Set of French Enamel Food Canisters Original French Enamel Canister Set
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Lovely Set of French Enamel Food Canisters Original French Enamel Canister set is a complete set of six pieces with lids, Sucre, Café, Farine, Pates...
Enamel
18th Century Chippendale Mahogany Tea Caddy, Great Britain, Circa 1760
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.
Mahogany
Chinese White Glazed Tea Leaf Jar
Located in Chicago, IL
Rendered in a striking cool white glaze, this contemporary porcelain jar offers a modern take on a Classic form. Lidded jars like these were used in tea shops in China, where tea dri...
Ceramic
Georgian Sterling Silver Locking Double Cover Tea Caddy
By John Robins
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Georgian English sterling silver locking double cover tea caddy; an addition to our silver teaware collection. This exceptional antique George III sterling silver locking tea caddy has a plain rounded rectangular form with incurved corners. The surface of this caddy is plain and embellished to the lower portion of each side with fluted decoration. This antique Georgian tea caddy...
Silver, Sterling Silver
English Georgian Tea Caddy with Inlay and Interior Lid, 19th Century
Located in Savannah, GA
English Georgian Tea Caddy with Inlay and Interior Lid, 19th Century
Wood
English Square Burl Tea Caddy Brass Stringing and Interior Lid, 19th Century
Located in Savannah, GA
English Square Burl Tea Caddy with Brass Stringing and Interior Lid, 19th Century
Burl
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.