Tea Canister
Did you know that calling it a Tea Canister is actually the old world term for what is now more commonly known as a tea caddy? It was in the 1800s that the term tea canister became less in vogue than tea caddy. The original tea canisters first came to Europe from China and were made primarily of Chinese porcelain. All original tea canisters had tightly fitting lids that kept the tea protected from the air and the outside environment. This kept the tea fresh for much longer than if it had a loose fitting lid. Many tea canisters also had locks. This was because for many decades tea was a very precious and expensive commodity that needed to be kept under lock and key.
Even though the original tea canister was mostly made of porcelain, over time they evolved to be made of many different elements from plain wood, to rare woods, from simple tin to beautiful tortoise shell. The material and design was dependent upon the needs and desires of the person buying the tea canister. There are many very rare and expensive tea canisters that have been made over the course of the past couple of centuries. These were made for the wealthy and for royalty, there is even a beautiful tea canister that is on display in the British Victoria and Albert museum. The fact that such a piece made it into the museum should serve as evidence as to the importance of tea canisters for anyone in a proper position in society during the past.
These days a tea canister is made of many different materials and in many different shapes and designs. One fun tea canister is the Oggi EZ Grip tea canister. This canister is square in overall shape with a handle carved into the square for ease of handling. It has a lid that is air tight and that latches with a pressure latch. The canister also comes with a measuring spoon that sits in a special holder on the side of the canister. This is a great looking and well designed piece that is very utilitarian and very reasonably priced.
On the other side of the price range you can also buy a special tea caddy set that is made of rosewood with brass inlay. This will set you back a couple thousand dollars but includes the entire tea setting. This box even sits on its own stand and has a lock, to presumably safeguard the valuable tea inside.
Return to home page 1 Tea
