Tea Sets
Mid-20th Century Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Tea Sets
Vermeil, Sterling Silver
Early 1900s American Japonisme Antique Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
1970s German Vintage Tea Sets
Bone
2010s Portuguese Rustic Tea Sets
Ceramic, Cotton, Glass
Late 20th Century Japanese Showa Tea Sets
Porcelain
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Tea Sets
Vermeil, Sterling Silver
17th Century Japanese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Stainless Steel
19th Century Scottish Victorian Antique Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
18th Century German Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1980s Czech Post-Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century English Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Pewter
17th Century Japanese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Stainless Steel
20th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
1980s Japanese Showa Vintage Tea Sets
Iron
19th Century Japanese Art Deco Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
18th Century Chinese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Tea Sets
Stone
19th Century Japanese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century American Tea Sets
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Tea Sets
Earthenware
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Tea Sets
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Glass, Murrine, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass
18th Century Chinese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Silver Plate
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
18th Century Chinese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1890s Victorian Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Alpaca
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
1910s American Classical Vintage Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Silver Plate, Copper
1810s British Regency Antique Tea Sets
Silver
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Stainless Steel
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Brass, Chrome
Late 19th Century Victorian Antique Tea Sets
Brass
1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Stoneware
Mid-20th Century German Tea Sets
Porcelain
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Brass
Early 19th Century British Antique Tea Sets
Ceramic
Late 18th Century English George III Antique Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Stainless Steel, Chrome
Early 20th Century European Tea Sets
Silver
1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Stoneware
1780s English George III Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Glass
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Silver Plate
Early 19th Century British Antique Tea Sets
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Rustic Antique Tea Sets
Copper
1890s French Louis XVI Antique Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
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.