Tea Sets
1840s English Victorian Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
18th Century Chinese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Tea Sets
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Marble
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Marble
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Marble
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Moroccan Modern Tea Sets
Brass
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Marble
Early 20th Century Tea Sets
Ceramic
1950s British Vintage Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
1760s English Chinoiserie Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1820s English Regency Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
20th Century Hungarian Tea Sets
Porcelain
20th Century Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Brass
20th Century Art Deco Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
20th Century Modern Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Tea Sets
Enamel, Copper
20th Century Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
1930s British Vintage Tea Sets
Silver
20th Century Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
20th Century Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Tea Sets
Metal, Silver Plate
Early 20th Century American Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Tea Sets
Ceramic
Early 19th Century English William IV Antique Tea Sets
Mahogany
20th Century Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Early 1800s English Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
19th Century Chinese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
20th Century Chinese Tea Sets
Porcelain
20th Century Modern Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Tea Sets
Gold Plate
Late 20th Century Japanese Showa Tea Sets
Porcelain
20th Century Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Tea Sets
Metal
Early 20th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 19th Century Antique Tea Sets
Ceramic
18th Century Japanese Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
20th Century Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
20th Century Modern Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
1970s Italian Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
20th Century Japanese Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Modern Tea Sets
Porcelain
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Silver
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Porcelain
20th Century Art Nouveau Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
20th Century Tea Sets
Ceramic
1840s English Victorian Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Country Tea Sets
Pottery, Paint
2010s Italian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 19th Century English George III Antique Tea Sets
Copper
1930s Italian Art Deco Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
1960s Hungarian Vintage Tea Sets
Porcelain
1880s Italian Other Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Tea Sets
Fabric, Silk
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.