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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A Georgian mahogany tea caddy with hinged lid, hand painted…

Georgian Mahogany Tea Caddy with Hand-Painted Courtesan Cameo

A Georgian mahogany tea caddy with hinged lid, hand painted with cameo of courtesan, decorated with panels of ribbons. 10.5 cm high, 8.5 cm wide, 9.5 cm deep.

A Georgian burr walnut tea caddy, and two silver spoons, early…

Georgian Burr Walnut Tea Caddy and Silver Spoons

A Georgian burr walnut tea caddy, and two silver spoons, early 19th century, the sarcophagus shaped box with ring handles and target mounts having two lidded and tin paper lined compartments, together with a silver-plated sifter spoon and a cased…

A Georgian mahogany tea caddy box 19th century, height 13 cm

19th Century Georgian Mahogany Tea Caddy Box

A Georgian mahogany tea caddy box 19th century, height 13 cm

A George III string inlaid mahogany tea caddy

Mahogany tea caddy with string inlay

A George III string inlaid mahogany tea caddy

Georgian rosewood tea caddy, width 17.5 cm, diameter 10 cm…

Georgian Rosewood Tea Caddy - 17.5 cm Width

Georgian rosewood tea caddy, width 17.5 cm, diameter 10 cm approx

George V sterling silver two handled tea caddy bombe shape,…

George V Silver Tea Caddy with Swing Handle and Legs

George V sterling silver two handled tea caddy bombe shape, domed lid with swing handle on 4 shell top scroll legs, Sheffield 1918, maker William Hutton & Sons, Ltd

A Georgian mahogany tea chest, early 19th century, the…

Georgian Mahogany Tea Chest with Glass Bowl

A Georgian mahogany tea chest, early 19th century, the rectangular chest with boxwood edging having a simple mother-of-pearl lozenge escutcheon, the interior with two lidded tea caddies with remnant zinc lining and centred with a cut glass mixing bowl,…

Georgian mahogany sarcophagus shaped tea caddy on bun feet, no…

Mahogany Sarcophagus Tea Caddy on Bun Feet

Georgian mahogany sarcophagus shaped tea caddy on bun feet, no mixing bowl

George III satinwood tea caddy, cube with oval inlaid panels

Satinwood Tea Caddy with Oval Inlaid Panels

George III satinwood tea caddy, cube with oval inlaid panels

A Georgian sarcophagus-form tea caddy on bun feet

Georgian Tea Caddy on Bun Feet

A Georgian sarcophagus-form tea caddy on bun feet

A George V silver tea caddy, plain circular form with gadrooned…

A George V silver tea caddy, plain circular form with gadrooned rims and pull off lid, Mappin & Webb, London 1911, height 8.5 cm. Weight 94 cm.

A George III flame mahogany tea caddy, the fitted interior with…

A George III flame mahogany tea caddy, the fitted interior with twin compartments, mixing bowl absent. Length 30.5 cm.

Georgian mahogany sarcophagus tea caddy, 30 cm wide, 15 cm high

Georgian Mahogany Tea Caddy in Sarcophagus Shape

Georgian mahogany sarcophagus tea caddy, 30 cm wide, 15 cm high

Georgian mahogany tea caddy, 19 cm height

Georgian Mahogany Tea Caddy - 19cm

Georgian mahogany tea caddy, 19 cm height

Georgian mahogany tea caddy

Mahogany Georgian Tea Caddy

Georgian mahogany tea caddy

A Georgian Sheraton period inlaid tea caddy, oblong with canted…

Georgian Sheraton Tea Caddy with Moth and Satinwood Shell

A Georgian Sheraton period inlaid tea caddy, oblong with canted corners, the hinged lid inlaid with a moth, the front with a shell in tinted and shaded satinwood. 18.5 cm x 10.5 cm x 12 cm

Georgian mahogany tea caddy. Coffin form caddy with two…

Georgian Mahogany Tea Caddy with Two Compartments

Georgian mahogany tea caddy. Coffin form caddy with two internal compartments, raised on four low bun feet. Replaced bone escutcheon, height 14 cm length 22.5 cm depth 13 cm

George V sterling silver oval tea caddy, plain oval the hinged…

George V Silver Tea Caddy, Birmingham 1913

George V sterling silver oval tea caddy, plain oval the hinged lid with flaming finial, Birmingham 1913

Georgian tea caddy with brass fittings & 3 inside compartments

Georgian Brass Tea Caddy with Triple Compartments

Georgian tea caddy with brass fittings & 3 inside compartments

A Georgian mahogany tea caddy, early 19th century, the simple…

Georgian Mahogany Tea Caddy with Glass Mixing Bowl

A Georgian mahogany tea caddy, early 19th century, the simple rectangular box with a single tea compartment with remnant tin lining and a scallop rimmed glass mixing bowl. Height 14 cm. Width 24 cm. Depth 13 cm

An early Georgian Old Sheffield plate tea caddy 13 cm high

Georgian Sheffield Plate Tea Caddy - 13 cm High

An early Georgian Old Sheffield plate tea caddy 13 cm high

A George III mahogany tea caddy 30 x 16 x 16 cm

George III Mahogany Tea Caddy

A George III mahogany tea caddy 30 x 16 x 16 cm

Georgian fruitwood and ebony tea caddy single interior, circa…

Georgian Fruitwood and Ebony Tea Caddy, 1810

Georgian fruitwood and ebony tea caddy single interior, circa 1810, length 20 cm

Antique Georgian rosewood tea caddy

Georgian Rosewood Tea Caddy

Antique Georgian rosewood tea caddy

Antique Georgian style wooden teacaddy, sepulchre shape, bun…

Georgian Wooden Tea Caddy with Two Compartments

Antique Georgian style wooden teacaddy, sepulchre shape, bun feet. Two internal lidded compartments, and central lidded metal mixing tin. Length 31 cm

A George III style Sheffield plate tea caddy, oval with gadroon…

Gadroon-rimmed Sheffield Plate Tea Caddy with Monograms

A George III style Sheffield plate tea caddy, oval with gadroon rims, engraved monograms to either side, height 9.5 cm

A pair of Georgian blue and white Pearlware tea caddies, late…

Georgian blue and white tea caddies

A pair of Georgian blue and white Pearlware tea caddies, late 18th to early 19th century, the cylindrical caddies of carinate form both decorated with Chinese pavilions and garden scenes with decorative diaper, scale and pattered borders to the collars;…

George V sterling silver tea caddy, plain cylindrical form,…

George V Silver Tea Caddy, Birmingham 1912, Flavelle Sydney

George V sterling silver tea caddy, plain cylindrical form, Birmingham 1912, base stamped Flavelle, Sydney

George III mahogany & inlaid tea caddy, with inlaid oval shell…

George III Inlaid Tea Caddy with Shell Paterae

George III mahogany & inlaid tea caddy, with inlaid oval shell paterae to the top and similar floral inlay to the front (hinge broken off)

Georgian style silver plated tea caddy, with lion mask handles…

Georgian Silver Plated Lion Tea Caddy, 12cm

Georgian style silver plated tea caddy, with lion mask handles to sides, 12 cm high

A George III blue and white chinoiserie decorated tea caddy,…

Blue and White Chinoiserie Tea Caddy with Pagoda Decoration

A George III blue and white chinoiserie decorated tea caddy, canister form with rounded shoulder and short neck, no lid, coastal pagoda decoration with two figures upon a bridge, unmarked. Height 9.5 cm