Tea caddies were originally created for the secure storage of tea during the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when tea remained one of the most valuable imported household commodities in Europe. Because of its cost, tea was traditionally stored under lock and key within specially made boxes fitted with divided interiors, floating lids and foil lined compartments designed to preserve freshness and aroma.

The word “caddy” is derived from the Malay word kati, later anglicised to catty, which referred to a unit of weight used within the tea trade. Over time the tea caddy developed from a purely functional object into one of the most inventive and decorative forms of domestic craftsmanship produced during the Georgian, Regency and Victorian periods.

Antique tea caddies were produced in an extraordinary range of forms and materials including mahogany, rosewood, satinwood, tortoiseshell, lacquer, papier mâché, silver, brass, ivory, horn and mother of pearl. Interiors often retain fitted lids, divided tea compartments, cut glass mixing bowls and concealed compartments. Some of the most unusual examples were designed in novelty forms including fruit, barrels, shoes, urns and sarcophagus shapes.

During the Georgian and Regency periods tea caddies reached their peak in both quality and design, with leading cabinet makers and specialist workshops producing finely constructed examples with intricate inlay, crossbanding and fitted interiors. By the Victorian period tea became more widely available, leading to larger and increasingly elaborate forms before tea caddies gradually declined in practical use during the late nineteenth century.

Tea caddies remain one of the core specialities at Mark Goodger Antiques. With decades of experience handling and studying antique boxes and tea caddies, we have developed extensive knowledge of construction, materials, originality and restoration. This experience is particularly important within this field, where later copies, alterations and assembled examples are common.

Our collection includes examples ranging from early Georgian tea caddies and Regency sarcophagus forms to rare novelty tea caddies, tortoiseshell examples, lacquer tea caddies and highly decorative nineteenth century pieces from England, France and Continental Europe.

Every tea caddy offered by us is carefully examined for originality and condition, with conservation only undertaken where absolutely necessary. Our expertise within the field is frequently recognised by collectors, institutions and major auction houses, where our name is often cited as provenance and reference.

Whether you are beginning a collection or searching for a rare example, antique tea caddies remain one of the most fascinating and varied areas within the field of antique boxes and treen.