Coffee first appeared in England in about 1650 during the Commonwealth period. Within a short space of time there were approximately 400 coffee houses in London alone. The coffee pot came in many shapes and styles, but by the end of the 18th century, vase or urn shaped coffee pots became increasingly fashionable. Faceted or fluted vessels, such as this coffee pot, were popular on account of their classical associations despite the fact that the ridges on Sheffield plate examples were particularly prone to wear, which caused the copper core to become exposed over time.

The popularization of the neo-classical style through the proliferation of designs in Sheffield plate led to its steady decline. The limited ability of Sheffield platers to transfer silversmithing techniques--such as casting and engraving--to Sheffield plate also precipitated change. As engraving directly on to the surface of a plated vessel ran the risk of exposing the underlying copper. Chasing and machine stamping became increasingly common.

Sheffield plate originated, with the discovery in 1742, that bars of silver and copper, in unequal proportions, fused by heating under pressure, could be rolled into sheets of laminated metal and worked like silver. The industry this material created flourished for about 100 years until superseded by electroplating in the 1840s.