Tea Caddy
Attributed to
Thomas Wedgwood
(English, 1703 - 1776)
Attributed to
John Wedgwood
(English, 1705 - 1780)
Manufacturerpossibly
John and Thomas Wedgwood
(ca. 1743 - 1763)
Dateca. 1750-1760
MediumEarthenware with lead glaze
DimensionsOverall: 5 1/4 inches (13.34 cm)
Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Frank P. Burnap
Object number41-23/884 A,B
On View
On viewGallery Location
- 112
Collections
Gallery LabelMolded in the form of a house, the arms of Holland appear above the door on one side, the arms of England on the other.
Tea arrived in London from Asia through the Netherlands, as the Dutch were the first to engage in tea trading with China. The 1670s saw only a small amount of tea reaching Europe, but by 1750 the British East India Company had imported 37 million pounds of tea to England. During the 18th century, tea remained a costly and exotic commodity that brought with it a certain mystery inspiring innovative accoutrements and social rituals for its consumption. The Chinese wine pot was a model for the European teapot, and Chinese ceramics also informed the shape of tea caddies. The number and variety of objects in this case speak to the energy and creativity invested in developing fashionable and functional tea implements as well as English patrons' willingness to purchase them.
Tea arrived in London from Asia through the Netherlands, as the Dutch were the first to engage in tea trading with China. The 1670s saw only a small amount of tea reaching Europe, but by 1750 the British East India Company had imported 37 million pounds of tea to England. During the 18th century, tea remained a costly and exotic commodity that brought with it a certain mystery inspiring innovative accoutrements and social rituals for its consumption. The Chinese wine pot was a model for the European teapot, and Chinese ceramics also informed the shape of tea caddies. The number and variety of objects in this case speak to the energy and creativity invested in developing fashionable and functional tea implements as well as English patrons' willingness to purchase them.
Mr. Frank P. (1861-1957) and Mrs. Harriet C. (1866-1947) Burnap, Kansas City, MO, by 1941;
Their gift to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 1941.
Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information,
is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete.
Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a
particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum.
If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image,
please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.
