The octagonal design of this teapot was popular in the early eighteenth century. It is a simple geometric design that relies on clarity of form rather than surface detail or embellishment, and is an example of what has become known as Queen Anne style.

The teapot is marked on the base and the lid with Britannia Standard hallmarks: the figure of Britannia and a lion's head 'erased' (which means it appears as though it has been torn off the lion's body). This means the teapot is of a purer standard of silver than that used at the time for coinage. The Britannia standard was introduced in 1697 to combat the dwindling stock of silver coinage in circulation, as until then large numbers of coins were disappearing from circulation to be refashioned as silverwares. The Britannia standard and its marks were used exclusively until 1st June 1720, when the old standard was restored. Henceforth both standards have been used concurrently.

Thomas Tearle, the goldsmith whose mark appears twice on this teapot, had only recently completed his apprenticeship when he made the piece: he had registered his first mark in the Goldsmiths' Hall registers on 19 February 1719. His newness to the trade my explain why his mark is overstruck on the base by that of the established goldsmith Jonathan Lambe. Lambe, who had completed his apprenticeship in 1697, was perhaps acting as a retailer rather than a maker in this instance and felt it appropriate to overstrike the younger maker's mark.

Tea first made its way to Britain from China in the seventeenth century and was thought to have medicinal qualities. By the early eighteenth century, though, it was an established and popular drink amongst the upper classes. The first teapots made were in the tall cylindrical form of coffee pots. Soon, however, the more rounded, squat shape that we are still familiar with today took over, which was influenced by Chinese wine-pots. Despite taxation, possesion of silver objects remained desirable to the upper classes because it was a useful way of holding capital and of displaying status and wealth. The quality of your teapot said as much about you as the quality of the tea you were serving inside it.