Tea Caddy
1780-1800 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Tea-drinking, introduced into Britain in the late 17th century, became widespread during the 18th century. Since tea caddies were placed on the table as tea was served, they were often highly decorative. A great variety of wooden caddies were made between 1780 and 1810 as tea became cheaper and more widely used. A. Hepplewhite & Co. published designs for both ‘tea caddies’ and ‘tea chests’, which were usually larger, in The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Guide, 1788 (2nd edition 1789, 3rd Edition 1794). This caddy is veneered with mother of pearl with incised neoclassical ornament. The handle and key escutcheon are silver.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Wood, veneered with mother of pearl and a silver handle |
| Brief description | Octagonal tea caddy veneered with mother of pearl with incised decoration and metal fittings, 1780-1800 |
| Physical description | Octagonal wooden caddy veneered with mother of pearl, with incised decoration and metal fittings. Hinged and domed lid fitted with a silver loop handle. |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| Credit line | Given by Thomas Sutton, Esq., in memory of his wife |
| Historical context | Tea leaves were expensive, so were usually stored in lockable containers. Early tea containers were referred to as canisters, kept in locked boxes known as tea chests. Smaller wooden boxes with one or two fixed inner compartments for loose tea became popular from about 1780 onwards and by 1800 were generally known as tea caddies. The word 'caddy' is thought to derive from the Malay word for a measure of weight (kati) equivalent to about half a kilogram. |
| Summary | Tea-drinking, introduced into Britain in the late 17th century, became widespread during the 18th century. Since tea caddies were placed on the table as tea was served, they were often highly decorative. A great variety of wooden caddies were made between 1780 and 1810 as tea became cheaper and more widely used. A. Hepplewhite & Co. published designs for both ‘tea caddies’ and ‘tea chests’, which were usually larger, in The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Guide, 1788 (2nd edition 1789, 3rd Edition 1794). This caddy is veneered with mother of pearl with incised neoclassical ornament. The handle and key escutcheon are silver. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.55-1919 |
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| Record created | October 24, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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