When tea was first introduced to the western world, it was very expensive. Tea caddies normally had locks and keys to prevent it being stolen.
Earlier tea caddies were made of either porcelain or faience. Later designs had more variety in materials and designs. Wood, pewter, tortoiseshell, brass, copper and even silver were employed, but in the end the material most frequently used was wood, and there still survive vast numbers of Georgian box-shaped caddies in mahogany, rosewood, satin-wood and other timbers. These were often mounted in brass and delicately inlaid, with knobs of ivory, ebony or silver. Many examples were made in Holland, principally of the earthenware of Delft. There were also many English factories producing high quality goods.
As the use of the jar waned and the box increased, the provision of different receptacles for green and black tea was abandoned, and the wooden caddy, with a lid and a lock, was made with two and often three divisions, the centre portion being reserved for sugar. In the late 18th and early 19th century, caddies made from mahogany and rosewood were popular. Reference: Wikipedia
Price guide to silver tea caddies. Silver tea caddies were popular during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Few 17th century tea caddies are found today. The majority of silver tea…
Price guide to satinwood tea caddies. When first introduced to Europe, tea was extremely expensive, and kept under the eye of the mistress of the house, often under lock and key.…