Most of us here in Blogland are crazy
for tea and all “tea equipage”. Today I’m sharing my favorite, the tea caddy.
A “caddy” includes the entire genre
of tea containers produced in a variety of styles and materials from wood and
brass to porcelain and glass.
When tea was first imported to England
two centuries ago it was taken only in small quantities for medicinal purposes.
The high cost of tea assured its
status as a luxury item and necessitated a secure container for its storage and
display.
Early ones date from the Queen Anne
period and were generally in a sarcophagus shape with two compartments, one for
black and another for green tea.
Some larger ones even contain a
mixing bowl. The compartments were lined in lead foil to keep the tea moist.
Probably the most unusual are the
fruit shaped caddies: apple, pear, and even Chinese melon.
Typically carved from the fruit woods
that correspond to the fruit they depict, they display well from kitchen to
library and in between.
The more exotic materials, like
tortoiseshell, were used in the latter part of the 18th century,
forward.
These are smaller in scale and
multisided single caddies. The simple keyhole escutcheon is often in a
contrasting ivory design.
These fancy boxes are kept in a case.
Most days my tea comes in a tea bag! Lol, but I do get to store it in this
pretty (sturdy) brass caddy.
But on the days that are slow, I dip
into my pretty blue willow caddy for my favorite loose leaf blend. Ahhh… perfect
when I’m feeling caddy.
Hugs,
Patti
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