Tea Sets
1950s Dutch Vintage Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Tea Sets
Silver
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Ceramic
1980s European Post-Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Glass
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
17th Century Japanese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Stainless Steel
20th Century Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century German Bauhaus Tea Sets
Brass
Mid-20th Century European Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Modern Tea Sets
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Porcelain
1960s Norwegian Vintage Tea Sets
Stoneware
17th Century Japanese Edo Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
20th Century Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Portuguese Rustic Tea Sets
Ceramic
19th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
Late 20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Pottery
20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Copper
Mid-20th Century German Empire Tea Sets
Porcelain
Late 20th Century English Tea Sets
Pewter
Mid-20th Century Polish Tea Sets
Porcelain, Glass
Early 20th Century Austrian Neoclassical Revival Tea Sets
Silver
17th Century Chinese Qing Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Tea Sets
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Tea Sets
Silver Plate, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s Dutch Post-Modern Tea Sets
Ceramic, Rubber
Early 1800s English George III Antique Tea Sets
Copper
17th Century Japanese Edo Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
18th Century English Georgian Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Polish Tea Sets
Glass, Porcelain
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Glass, Teak
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 19th Century English Antique Tea Sets
Pearlware
Mid-20th Century Polish Tea Sets
Glass
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Danish Art Deco Tea Sets
Pewter
1780s English Neoclassical Antique Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
1960s German Vintage Tea Sets
Copper
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Jacobean Tea Sets
Pewter
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century Danish Tea Sets
Alabaster, Silver
1970s British Vintage Tea Sets
Pottery
Mid-20th Century Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Porcelain
19th Century English Regency Antique Tea Sets
Mother-of-Pearl, Rosewood
1920s German Art Deco Vintage Tea Sets
Silver
2010s Argentine Organic Modern Tea Sets
Metal
20th Century German Post-Modern Tea Sets
Porcelain
1880s English Victorian Antique Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century British Tea Sets
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Country Tea Sets
Pottery, Paint
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Antique, New and Vintage Tea Sets
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.