Tea Caddy
1750-1800 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The tea caddy is a closed container for dry tea, used at the table as part of a tea service. The earliest examples in silver were in the shape of Chinese porcelain tea jars. Later, caddies in silver or Sheffield plate were made in many styles, shapes and sizes. This example is decorated with vertical ribs and festoons of drapery.
The term caddy is derived from the Malay word, kati: a unit of measurement used for weighing tea. The kati was equivalent to about 1-1/3 pounds (600 grams), or the standard 18th century packet of tea.
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 The industry this material created flourished for about 100 years until superseded by electroplating in the 1840s.
The term caddy is derived from the Malay word, kati: a unit of measurement used for weighing tea. The kati was equivalent to about 1-1/3 pounds (600 grams), or the standard 18th century packet of tea.
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 The industry this material created flourished for about 100 years until superseded by electroplating in the 1840s.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Sheffield plate |
| Brief description | Tea caddy, Sheffield plate, 1750-1800, English |
| Physical description | Vase shaped with bulbous body, square foot and domed cover surmounted by a finial. The body is decorated with vertical ribs and festoons of drapery, the cover with radiating ribs. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production type | Mass produced |
| Production | Reason For Production: Retail |
| Summary | The tea caddy is a closed container for dry tea, used at the table as part of a tea service. The earliest examples in silver were in the shape of Chinese porcelain tea jars. Later, caddies in silver or Sheffield plate were made in many styles, shapes and sizes. This example is decorated with vertical ribs and festoons of drapery. The term caddy is derived from the Malay word, kati: a unit of measurement used for weighing tea. The kati was equivalent to about 1-1/3 pounds (600 grams), or the standard 18th century packet of tea. 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. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.155&A-1912 |
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| Record created | September 23, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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