Antique Asian Tea-Caddies
Written by admin on September 29, 2009 – 11:57 pm -Toby Walne
Brew up a profit
Tea was a precious commodity worth more than its weight in gold during the 18th and early 19th Centuries, and only the wealthiest could afford a fresh cuppa.
The leaves were carefully stored in beautifully crafted and often intricately ornate caddy boxes that usually had a lock.
The word caddy derives from the Malaysian word kati, meaning a weight equivalent to just over a pound.
Prices of the most sought-after caddies have soared in the past decade and Georgian examples change hands for £1,000 or more. Even Victorian wooden caddies in good condition can sell for at least £200.
Antigone Clarke, 63, of Hackney, east London, has been collecting and trading tea caddies for 30 years and has co-written a book, Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies & Society. She runs a shop called Antique Boxes at the Sign of the Hygra in Hackney.
Antigone says: 'The caddies offer a social record of a fascinating era when drinking tea was reserved for the upper classes or the wealthy new middle classes.
'These are not just fine-quality items made with a skill that you do not see today, but practical boxes that are still great for storing tea.
'However, because many of them were lead lined it is important to put in some protection.'
Tea originated in China 5,000 years ago. Legend has it that emperor Shen Nung discovered it when a leaf fell into his cup of freshly boiled water. Tea did not reach Britain until 1662, when the Portuguese Catherine of Braganza, who loved to drink tea, married King Charles II.
But it wasn't until the 18th Century that the habit really caught on, leading us to become a nation of tea lovers.
Some of the most sought-after caddies are Chinoiserie - Chinese style. If you discover an unusual early design shaped like a fruit, such as pear, apple or melon, you may have an investment worth £3,000 or more. The most highly valued caddies are made of tortoiseshell, fruit-wood, rosewood, oak or mahogany and inlaid with mother of pearl, ivory, pewter or silver.
Antigone says: 'Always do your homework and get expert help before buying. If you have a £200 budget it may be best to opt for a nice plain Victorian caddy.'
Many caddy interiors have been tampered with over the years but originality is key. They often had two compartments - for green and black tea. Some also included a glass bowl for sugar. Early tea was extremely expensive as it was grown exclusively in China and traded for opium grown in Indian plantations. Antigone says: 'The tea often included impurities, anything from tiny bits of twig to ground sheep droppings.' The Chinese dominance was not broken until the mid-19th Century when the British started to grow tea in Darjeeling, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.
Tags: antique accessories from china, Asian Antiques, Chinese Antiques
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