In the 17th century, tea was first introduced to Britain from the East Indies by the Dutch East India Company who had a monopoly on this trade, as well as some of the spices now in common use. As a result, the leaf tea from which the drink was made was an extremely expensive commodity, and so had to be appropriately stored and safeguarded. The tea caddy was devised for this purpose.

The first tea caddies, sometimes called tea canisters, as they were only single compartment vessels, were often of silver, and bottle shaped with a removable top that could be used to measure tea into the pot.

In the 18th century, taxes were imposed on tea making it even more expensive, and to safeguard the contents a lockable box was devised. The simple forms of these boxes had a removable receptacle to store the tea. The larger examples housed more...

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William IV walnut sarcophagus tea caddy, 35 cm wide, 20.5 cm…

William IV Walnut Tea Caddy

William IV walnut sarcophagus tea caddy, 35 cm wide, 20.5 cm high

Victorian leather covered wooden 'book stack' form tea caddy,…

Victorian Leather Tea Caddy with Fitted Interior

Victorian leather covered wooden 'book stack' form tea caddy, distressed, lid opening to fitted interior, with 2 lidded compartments, and central mixing bowl, height 19 cm, width 32 cm.

Early 19th century tea caddy, 23 x 12 cm

Antique Tea Caddy, Early 19th Century

Early 19th century tea caddy, 23 x 12 cm

A Victorian burr-walnut domed top tea caddy, c.1870, decorated…

Victorian Burr-Walnut Tea Caddy with Metal Mounts

A Victorian burr-walnut domed top tea caddy, c.1870, decorated with metal mounts, with two inner compartments. Height 14.2 cm. Width 20 cm. Depth 11.5 cm

A William IV walnut tea caddy

Walnut Tea Caddy from William IV Era

A William IV walnut tea caddy

A parquetry and Tunbridge inlay tea caddy, opening to reveal…

Parquetry and Tunbridge Inlay Tea Caddy with Dual Compartments

A parquetry and Tunbridge inlay tea caddy, opening to reveal two compartments with lids. 21.5 cm x 11.5 cm x 12 cm.

Victorian tortoise shell tea caddy, sarcophagus shaped 19th…

Victorian tortoise shell tea caddy, sarcophagus shaped 19th century tea caddy with tortoise shell and ivory detailing and acorn finial

19th century. Tortoise shell tea caddy, two sectional…

Antique Tortoise Shell Tea Caddy with Bone Feet & Key

19th century. Tortoise shell tea caddy, two sectional compartment with lids raised on four carved bone bun feet, and original key (some A/F)

Tunbridge ware tea caddy 19th century, with floral & fruiting…

19th Century Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy with Inlaid Decoration

Tunbridge ware tea caddy 19th century, with floral & fruiting vine inlaid decoration, waisted body & bun feet, 21.5 cm wide, 13.5 cm high & 11 cm deep

A Victorian tortoiseshell tea caddy, serpentine sides, shallow…

Victorian Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy, Serpentine Sides

A Victorian tortoiseshell tea caddy, serpentine sides, shallow domed cover. Width 12 cm

A Victorian Tunbridge ware tea caddy with flower and leaf…

Victorian Flower Tea Caddy

A Victorian Tunbridge ware tea caddy with flower and leaf motifs. Width 22 cm

A fine carved bamboo tea caddy, Qing Dynasty, 19th century,…

Bamboo Tea Caddy, Qing Dynasty

A fine carved bamboo tea caddy, Qing Dynasty, 19th century, Utilising the natural culm of the bamboo and finely carved in deep relief to a principal panel and three shaped cartouches, with figural narratives in traditional garden pavilion settings and two…

A 19th century tortoiseshell and bone mounted tea caddy, loss…

Tortoiseshell and Bone Tea Caddy with Inlay Damage

A 19th century tortoiseshell and bone mounted tea caddy, loss to a section of bone string inlay, 16.5 x 13 x 11.5 cm.

A tortoiseshell tea caddy with two compartments, height 5.5 cm…

Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy, Two Compartments, No Key

A tortoiseshell tea caddy with two compartments, height 5.5 cm x 17.5 cm x 11 cm, no key

A tortoiseshell tea caddy, with ivory inlay, sarcophagus shaped,…

Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy with Ivory Inlay

A tortoiseshell tea caddy, with ivory inlay, sarcophagus shaped, two section and lidded interior, raised on ball feet. Height 17 cm, minor losses.

Black Forest tea caddy, in the form of a cabin with bears in…

Bear Cabin Tea Caddy

Black Forest tea caddy, in the form of a cabin with bears in foreground, lift up lid with fitted interior, approx 18 cm high, 30 cm wide, 19 cm deep

Two apple-shaped tea caddies, each with a hinged top, one…

Apple Tea Caddies by Herbert Sixsmith

Two apple-shaped tea caddies, each with a hinged top, one lacquered cream and decorated with decoupage and signed 'Herbert Sixsmith'. Height of the larger 17 cm. Provenance: Contents of Swanton, Sutton Forest

Good early Victorian figured tea caddy

Early Victorian Figured Tea Caddy

Good early Victorian figured tea caddy

A Victorian Anglo-Indian tea caddy mid 19th century, of…

Victorian Anglo-Indian Mother-of-Pearl Tea Caddy

A Victorian Anglo-Indian tea caddy mid 19th century, of rectangular form, with carved beading to the edges of the lid and base, mother-of-pearl inlaid throughout, the hinged lid enclosing a fitted interior of two rectangular tea canisters with hinged lids…

Antique tea caddy with burr veneer finish & interior fittings,…

Burr veneer antique tea caddy with interior fittings

Antique tea caddy with burr veneer finish & interior fittings, 11 cm x 12 cm, 11 cm high

Tortoiseshell tea caddy

Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy

Tortoiseshell tea caddy

A Victorian burl walnut tea caddy 19th century, of sarcophagus…

Victorian Burl Walnut Tea Caddy with Silver Spoon

A Victorian burl walnut tea caddy 19th century, of sarcophagus form with generous proportions, the lid opening to reveal two original tea canisters with a married glass bowl, accompanied by a silver-plate spoon 19.5 cm high, 38 cm wide, 22.3 cm deep.…

Good 19th century inlaid walnut tea caddy, of deep rectangular…

Inlaid Walnut Tea Caddy with Ivory Handles and Secret Drawer

Good 19th century inlaid walnut tea caddy, of deep rectangular form, decorated with herringbone veneer borders, opening to three lidded compartments with ivory handles, with secret drawer to side, the whole raised upon gilt metal feet, 17 cm x 23.5 cm x…

A rare tortoiseshell twin division tea caddy. 15 cm high, 21 cm…

Rare Tortoiseshell Twin Division Tea Caddy

A rare tortoiseshell twin division tea caddy. 15 cm high, 21 cm wide, 12 cm deep.

A Colonial tea caddy, musk and cedar with pine secondary…

Tasmanian Colonial Tea Caddy, Circa 1840

A Colonial tea caddy, musk and cedar with pine secondary timbers, Tasmanian origin, circa 1840, 13 cm high, 29.5 cm wide, 13.5 cm deep

Two Victorian cedar tea caddies, 19th century, one of…

Victorian Cedar Tea Caddies (2) from Hutchinson Collection

Two Victorian cedar tea caddies, 19th century, one of sarcophagus shape, the other rectangular with inlaid interior (A/F) (2), height 15 cm width 25 cm, height 17 cm width 27.5 cm. Provenance: The collection of Robert Hutchinson, Sydney

A good early Victorian tortoiseshell tea caddy, rectangular…

Early Victorian Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy with Copper Feet

A good early Victorian tortoiseshell tea caddy, rectangular form, the mildly domed lid of hexagonal section, plain un-engraved rectangular top plaque and escutcheon, opening to reveal an ivory lined edge interior and two tortoiseshell covered compartments…

Rare antique cottage form wood tea caddy hand painted…

Hand-Painted Antique Cottage Tea Caddy with Two Sections

Rare antique cottage form wood tea caddy hand painted decoration to lid and sides, with 2 section lidded interior, height 18 cm, width 18 cm.

A William IV tortoiseshell tea caddy, sarcophagus shaped,…

William IV Tea Caddy with Monogram, 1799

A William IV tortoiseshell tea caddy, sarcophagus shaped, monogrammed Rba 1799, two section and lidded interior, raised on ball feet. Minor losses. Height 18 cm.

A tea caddy and an etui, early 19th century, both in…

Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy and Etui

A tea caddy and an etui, early 19th century, both in tortoiseshell, the caddy with a hinged top enclosing two covers (the etui missing implements), tea caddy 13 cm high 16 cm wide, 10.5 cm deep.

A Dr Wall scale blue tea caddy

Dr Wall Blue Tea Caddy

A Dr Wall scale blue tea caddy

Antique French tea caddy, with fruitwood stringing and 3 ornate…

Ornate French Tea Caddy with Fruitwood Stringing and Storage Containers

Antique French tea caddy, with fruitwood stringing and 3 ornate storage containers, 30.5 x 15 cm, 19.5 cm high approx

Fine antique tortoise shell and ivory two section tea caddy,…

Antique Tortoise Shell and Ivory Tea Caddy

Fine antique tortoise shell and ivory two section tea caddy, standing on ball feet, 16 cm wide, 15 cm high

A good early Victorian tortoiseshell casket form tea caddy,…

Early Victorian Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy

A good early Victorian tortoiseshell casket form tea caddy, serpentine front, the hinged lid with single interior lid covering the double compartments, ivory trim and finial, the conforming flared apron base supported on four tortoiseshell compressed bun…

Large mid-Victorian burr walnut tea caddy on flat bun feet, the…

Burr Walnut Tea Caddy with Blue Glass Bowl, c1860

Large mid-Victorian burr walnut tea caddy on flat bun feet, the triple interior with matching compartments and blue glass bowl, c1860

A tortoiseshell veneered tea caddy, English early 19th century,…

19th Century Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy

A tortoiseshell veneered tea caddy, English early 19th century, hinged lid opening to reveal two tea compartments, 17 cm high, 17 cm wide, 9 cm deep

A 19th century tortoiseshell and ivory tea caddy the body of…

Tortoiseshell and Ivory Tea Caddy with Ivory Feet

A 19th century tortoiseshell and ivory tea caddy the body of tortoiseshell with interior ivory and tortoiseshell fittings, above four ivory feet, 19 x 15 x 12 cm

An Ango-Indian ivory panelled tea caddy, early 19th century,…

Anglo-Indian Ivory Tea Caddy with Monogram, 19th Century

An Ango-Indian ivory panelled tea caddy, early 19th century, with metal mounts and a monogrammed roundel. 14 cm high

A Worcester fluted Hop Trellis pattern 'French' shape tea caddy…

Worcester Fluted Tea Caddy, French Shape, 1780

A Worcester fluted Hop Trellis pattern 'French' shape tea caddy and cover, circa 1780. 16.5 cm high

Tortoise shell tea caddy with two internal compartments with an…

Tortoise Shell Tea Caddy with Engraved Panel

Tortoise shell tea caddy with two internal compartments with an engraved panel to top, on four bun feet. Condition good, minor cracks, loss to one snall panel on the underside. Dimensions 16 x 9 x 13 cm

A superb and rare Victorian walnut and parquetry sideboard tea…

Victorian Walnut Parquetry Sideboard Tea Caddy

A superb and rare Victorian walnut and parquetry sideboard tea caddy of large sarcophagus form with geometric inlays, lid interior inlaid with central oval shell paterae with conical designs above and below, two inlaid hinged tea compartments centred by…

Fine antique English blonde tortoise shell and ivory tea caddy,…

Antique Tortoise Shell and Ivory Tea Caddy

Fine antique English blonde tortoise shell and ivory tea caddy, fitted with a two compartment interior, approx 13 cm high, 22 cm wide, 13 cm deep

Rare antique mid 19th century miniature sideboard tea caddy,…

Antique Miniature Sideboard Tea Caddy with Fitted Interior

Rare antique mid 19th century miniature sideboard tea caddy, the top lifts to reveal a fitted interior with two caddies and central glass, side secret long drawer, has key. Approx 31.5 cm high, 44 cm wide, 16.5 cm deep

Antique early 19th century tortoiseshell tea caddy, approx 17…

Early 19th Century Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy

Antique early 19th century tortoiseshell tea caddy, approx 17 cm high, 29.5 cm wide, 14 cm depth