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Hampton Antiques are passionate about tea caddies and are the, UK's pre-eminent and leading antique box specialists. Tea Caddies are noted for the variety of different shapes and sizes made using exotic wood, tortoiseshell, ivory, horn and shagreen. They make a perfect decorative and functional heirloom in any modern or traditional home

The history of Antique Tea Caddies

In England in the 1700s, tea was an expensive commodity. To keep it safe, people would store it in a Tea Chest or Tea Box, which eventually became known as a Tea Caddy (the word caddy is derived from the Malay "kati", a unit of weight by which tea was sold).

As tea was too expensive to risk leaving in the presence of servants, the caddy in which it was stored would generally be kept in the drawing room. Subsequently, the Tea Caddy became an important & fashionable accessory for the home.

Tea Caddies were made in a huge variety of styles and materials. Some contained glass bowls. The bowl is believed to be either for sugar, or for the purpose of mixing different varieties of tea to the drinker's personal taste.

As tea became cheaper in the early 1800s, its use was much more widespread, increasing the demand for tea caddies. However, by the late 1800s when tea could be bought pre-packed, the demand for tea caddies as functional items gradually disappeared.

Today Tea Caddies are sought after as decorative pieces, in all shapes & forms.

Purchasing a Tea Caddy / Tea Chest from us you can be satisfied in thinking that they have been carefully looked over and only restored where necessary. Buying a box from us not only gives you piece of mind you are buying an original item but our name in the business is being used in Major Auction houses as provenance.