Tea Tins - A Short History

Tea Tins - A Short History

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Tea tins today are practical items with a decorative side. If we wanted to store tea leaves or tea bags in an airtight container there are plenty of plastic seal tight containers out there that would do the same job. Instead we like the tradition associated with the tea tin which is tied up with its appealing forms.

Tea tins are often called tea caddies. The term caddie is generally thought to come from the Chinese/Malay word Kati which was an ancient Asian measure of tea.

When tea was introduced to the western world it was not readily available and as a consequence very expensive. Because only the very rich could afford tea it was a prestigious item and displayed in ornate tea tins, on show in drawing rooms to create envy among your friends. Looking at it with modern eyes it us difficult to imagine how revered it was at this time. The tea caddy often came with a look as it was important to be able to protect this valuable purchase from pilfering by the domestic staff. The lady of the house would guard the guard the key and only give it to staff when tea was to be made.

Toward the end of the eighteenth century taxes on tea were reduced and it became much more accessible to the masses. As a consequence tea tins became more varied in style.

Developments in the next 50 years meant tea tins had removable containers and three compartment caddies were popular. There would be section each for black and green tea and a section in the middle for sugar.

The English silversmiths found tea tins and tea making paraphernalia an excellent subject to concentrate on. As a result there were many ornate antique, tea pots, tea caddies, serving trays and spoons made. These today fetch good prices on the antique market. After the Boston tea party there was a decline in interest for a period for anything to do with tea.

Japanese styles became popular in the nineteenth century but there was a return to popularity of traditional styles in the early twentieth century. This was particularly so in the American Market which had an interest in tailoring the traditional styles to the trends current at the time such as art deco influences in the 1920s.

While metal tins have always had high degrees of popularity other materials have come and gone with fashion. Porcelain was popular, mimicking Chinese Ginger jars and wood being carved or inlaid was a good decorative outlet. Furniture makers such as Chippendale moved into the tea caddy field as they were a good outlet for their craft skills and ability to produce intricate embellishment.

Today with a resurging interest in tea, tea tins have once again become items of decorating and practical value. While they have a place in the kitchen there are also comfortable being used as a purely decorative item. The gift of a tea tin is a practical yet beautiful gift that will be appreciated for years to come.

About the Author:
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