![]() ![]() So next time you’re thinking of a practical gift, think boxes. Antique boxes will outlast any modern equivalent, not only because of their superior quality and craftsmanship, but also because the timbers and materials used 100 & 200 years ago are not available today. Some have been altered for more practical uses to suit our modern world such as to hold jewellery or to keep that precious tablet or phone. Now these beautiful time capsules are admired by us all and are still used by many today. Some boxes were commissioned for kings & queens and were made by cabinet maker firms who held royal warrants for their skilled craftsmanship. ![]() When opening it, we want to see what stories could it tell. Our fascination with them is due to their sheer complexity and their links with history and fashion. We can’t help but want to peek inside when we see an antique box. Most tea caddies avaiolable on the market were made before the mid 19th century.Ī variation on the tea caddy is the teapoy, where a larger version of the tea caddy was mounted on a stem and base to form a small table.Antique tea caddies and boxes come in all shapes & sizes and are made from all manner of materials from exotic timbers to horn, ivory & tortoiseshell. As tea grew cheaper, there was less concern with safeguarding the contents, and as a result the of the tea caddy slowly declined. In 1784 the tax on tea was reduced from over 100% to 12.5%, and at the same time the monpoly on supply of tea by the Dutch East india Company was beginning to wane. The most common material used for tea caddies in the 18th century was silver, and in the 19th century was wood, but tea caddies are also commonly seen finished in pewter, ivory, tortoise-shell, mother-of-pearl, brass, copper, papier mache and silver.īefitting their status, the finest materials and craftmanship were used in the manufacture of tea caddies, emphasised by the complicated shapes which were variations on a square, rectangle or casket. Others, however, believe the bowl was used for sugar. , the idea being that each of the two containers held a different variety of tea, and they were blended in the bowl in proportions suitable to the maker, before being added to the teapot. The tea receptacles were often separated by a glass bowl, usually referred to in auction catalogues as the "mixing bowl" or "blending bowl" The tea containers were often lined with a silver paper like substance presumably to protect the tea from moisture. The larger examples housed two receptacles side by side. ![]() ![]() The simple forms of these boxes had a removable receptacle to store the tea. In the 18th century, taxes were imposed on tea making it even more expensive, and to safeguard the contents a lockable box was devised. The first tea caddies, sometimes called tea canisters, as they were only single compartment vessels, were often of silver, and bottle shaped with a removable top that could be used to measure tea into the pot. The tea caddy was devised for this purpose. As a result, the leaf tea from which the drink was made was an extremely expensive commodity, and so had to be appropriately stored and safeguarded. In the 17th century, tea was first introduced to Britain from the East Indies by the Dutch East India Company who had a monopoly on this trade, as well as some of the spices now in common use. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |