Tea Canister thumbnail 1

Tea Canister

1795-1800 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
Tea canisters were containers for storing tea-leaves. They are often called 'caddies' today, a name that came into use about the time this one was made.In the 18th century, tea was usually made in front of family and guests by the lady of the house and not in the kitchen. Like other tea utensils, canisters are therefore often highly decorative. Initially, tea was an expensive luxury confined to the wealthy, but became more widely drunk as prices fell during the 18th century. Writing about the time this tea canister was made, Sir William Eden noted that 'in poor families tea ... is not only the usual beverage, in the morning and the evening, but is generally drunk in large quantities even at dinner.' This canister, however, would have been a luxury available only to the comparatively wealthy.

Materials & Making
The canister is made of Jasper, a fine-grained stoneware developed by the Staffordshire potter Josiah Wedgwood as a result of thousand of experiments carried out in the 1770s. He did not protect his invention with a patent and it was soon copied by other factories.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Tea Caddy
  • Cover
Materials and techniques
Jasper with blue stain and applied reliefs
Brief description
Tea caddy and cover, blue unglazed stoneware with decoration in white applied moulded relief. English, Staffordshire, Lane End, factory of John Turner, c.1780.
Physical description
Jasper tea canister
Dimensions
  • Height: 10.16cm
  • Width: 8.09cm
Gallery label
(27/03/2003)
British Galleries:
Wedgwood's Basalt and Jasper stonewares and their designs were widely imitated by other Staffordshire potters. John Turner was the first of his competitors to make imitations of Wedgwood's Jasper.
(23/05/2008)
Tea cannister
Made by William and John Turner, Lane End, Staffordshire, about 1795-1800
Mark: 'TURNER'
Jasperware with applied relief decoration

C112&A-1956 Bequeathed by J. A. Tulk
Credit line
Bequeathed by J.A. Tulk
Object history
Made at Josiah Wedgwood's Brick House pottery, Burslem, Staffordshire
Subject depicted
Summary
Object Type
Tea canisters were containers for storing tea-leaves. They are often called 'caddies' today, a name that came into use about the time this one was made.In the 18th century, tea was usually made in front of family and guests by the lady of the house and not in the kitchen. Like other tea utensils, canisters are therefore often highly decorative. Initially, tea was an expensive luxury confined to the wealthy, but became more widely drunk as prices fell during the 18th century. Writing about the time this tea canister was made, Sir William Eden noted that 'in poor families tea ... is not only the usual beverage, in the morning and the evening, but is generally drunk in large quantities even at dinner.' This canister, however, would have been a luxury available only to the comparatively wealthy.

Materials & Making
The canister is made of Jasper, a fine-grained stoneware developed by the Staffordshire potter Josiah Wedgwood as a result of thousand of experiments carried out in the 1770s. He did not protect his invention with a patent and it was soon copied by other factories.
Collection
Accession number
C.112&A-1956

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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