Household tea storage was originally supplied in small containers or jars, often with tea caddy spoon. In Europe, the earliest tea caddies were made from Chinese porcelain and also from china clay with classic blue and white designs.
Chinese Porcelain Tea Caddy with Stopper
Later, a variety of materials such as wood, pewter, tortoise shell, brass, copper and even silver were used. From the late 18th century, tea caddies made from exotic hardwoods such as mahogany and rosewood were very popular.
The word 'tea caddy' derived from the Malay word 'kati', which was a measure of weight. However, up until about 1800 tea caddies were called 'tea canisters'.
Polmac Traditional Wooden Tea Caddies
Georgian tea caddies were often embelished with polished brass trim, as well as ivory, ebony and silver inlay, to provide that extra special mark of quality.
Many earthenware tea caddies were made in Delft, a small town in Holland that had distinctive blue and white Dutch motifs such as windmills and people in traditional national costume.
Factories in England also produced high quality earthenware tea caddies. However, as jars for green and black teas became less popular, wooden tea caddies with locks and keys were used.
As the modern era approached, it was important for manufacturers to brand their products, as competition was fierce. This could be more easily achieved using wood tea caddies.
Polished brass locks are still used today, particularly for high-end tea caddies but they're expensive and labour intensive. Plated metal catches are more often used these days, as they're inexpensive, readily available and do the job just as well!
In todays disposable society, traditional wooden tea caddies are becoming more and more popular, as people try to find more distinctive and better quality containers for their favourite loose teas!
For more information about Polmac (UK) Ltd tea caddies and tea boxes CLICK HERE
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