What Is a Tea Caddy?
A tea caddy is a container used to store dry tea leaves. Caddies were particularly popular in the 17th and 18th centuries and were also sometimes known as tea canisters and tea chests. Does this Spark an idea?
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Tea As A Commodity
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During the 17th and 18th centuries, tea was an extremely valuable commodity because it had to be shipped from India to reach the market in Europe and North America, says the U.K. Tea Council.
Tea Caddies
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The tea caddy came into existence as a way to protect the valuable tea leaves.
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Materials
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The first caddies were often ceramic or metal and were shaped like jars, bottles or vases. Later, wooden caddies appeared, lined with lead to help keep the tea fresh and with a small thimble or spoon included to measure the tea leaves. Caddies could be very decorative items as craftsmen included carved ivory, tortoiseshell and mother of pearl in their designs.
Decline
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According to the U.K. Tea Council, caddies became less popular towards the end of the 19th century. As the price of tea dropped, the leaves were often stored in tins and boxes which were more practical in the kitchen. In the 20th century, the popularity of tea bags also meant that people used less loose tea leaves.
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References
- Photo Credit tea image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
