The Story of British Tea Chests and Caddies: Social History and Decorative Techniques

- An in-depth study on the relevance of tea, tea caddies and tea chests to British society - Over 100 pictures of tea caddies/chests and other tea-related illustrations - Traces the exponential growth of tea's popularity from the mid-17th century to the 1900s - Expertly researched and beautifully illustrated - the perfect collectors' reference Tea was introduced to Britain in the 1650s. Its popularity burgeoned over the following two-and-a-half centuries, until it became the defining feature of British culture. Drawing inspiration from China, British craftsmen worked to display their skills on numerous tea-related objects, which ritualised the process of drinking tea and imbued it with luxury status. Ceramic and silver tea sets and canisters, stored in lockable chests, became the established means of storing and preserving this precious commodity. These canisters, chests and caddies were not merely functional items that might lurk at the back of the kitchen - they were intended for display. Even as the habit of tea drinking filtered down the social scale, such tea caddies were a means of demonstrating the wealth of the owners, and were an essential accoutrement for fashionable women. This book collects numerous fine examples of tea caddies, presenting them alongside detailed historical research conducted into their place at the forefront of British society across two and a half centuries. With historical art showing tea's integration into British society, extracts from old broadsheets, and numerous examples of antique tea chests and caddies, this is a must-buy book for historians and collectors.