Tea Sets
1970s American American Classical Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
19th Century English Chinoiserie Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1950s Vintage Tea Sets
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century French Tea Sets
Ceramic
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
1980s Austrian Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Edwardian Tea Sets
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
Early 1800s English Regency Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
18th Century English Georgian Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Tea Sets
Ceramic
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Ceramic
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
1990s Italian Other Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
20th Century Tea Sets
Porcelain
1950s Vintage Tea Sets
Wood, Parchment Paper
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Tea Sets
Porcelain
17th Century Japanese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century French Tea Sets
Ceramic
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Baroque Tea Sets
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Stainless Steel
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Pottery
1980s French French Provincial Vintage Tea Sets
Faience
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
18th Century Chinese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1960s Italian Renaissance Vintage Tea Sets
Porcelain
Late 18th Century English Antique Tea Sets
Fruitwood
17th Century Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
18th Century Japanese Edo Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
18th Century Chinese Qing Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
1870s British Antique Tea Sets
Silver
1770s English Rococo Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Danish Art Deco Tea Sets
Pewter
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Stoneware
1980s German Post-Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Mauritanian Folk Art Tea Sets
Brass, Copper, Pewter
Mid-20th Century Mauritanian Folk Art Tea Sets
Brass, Copper, Pewter
1930s English Vintage Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
18th Century Chinese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1970s British Vintage Tea Sets
Pottery
Late 19th Century European Victorian Antique Tea Sets
Silver, Sterling Silver
1940s American Arts and Crafts Vintage Tea Sets
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Meiji Tea Sets
Gold
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
1980s European Post-Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Glass
2010s Argentine Organic Modern Tea Sets
Metal
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Late 19th Century Russian Antique Tea Sets
Silver
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
1970s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Silver Plate
20th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
18th Century Chinese Qing Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Tea Sets
Aluminum
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.