Treen or apple wood tea caddy

In the 17th century, tea was first introduced to Britain from the East Indies by the Dutch East India Company who had a monopoly on this trade, as well as some of the spices now in common use. As a result, the leaf tea from which the drink was made was an extremely expensive commodity, and so had to be appropriately stored and safeguarded. The tea caddy was devised for this purpose.

The first tea caddies, sometimes called tea canisters, as they were only single compartment vessels, were often of silver, and bottle shaped with a removable top that could more... be used to measure tea into the pot.

In the 18th century, taxes were imposed on tea making it even more expensive, and to safeguard the contents a lockable box was devised. The simple forms of these boxes had a removable receptacle to store the tea. The larger examples housed two receptacles side by side. The tea containers were often lined with a silver paper like substance presumably to protect the tea from moisture. The tea receptacles were often separated by a glass bowl, usually referred to in auction catalogues as the "mixing bowl" or "blending bowl", the idea being that each of the two containers held a different variety of tea, and they were blended in the bowl in proportions suitable to the maker, before being added to the teapot. Others, however, believe the bowl was used for sugar.

The most common material used for tea caddies in the 18th century was silver, and in the 19th century was wood, but tea caddies are also commonly seen finished in pewter, ivory, tortoise-shell, mother-of-pearl, brass, copper, papier mache and silver.

Befitting their status, the finest materials and craftmanship were used in the manufacture of tea caddies, emphasised by the complicated shapes which were variations on a square, rectangle or casket.

In 1784 the tax on tea was reduced from over 100% to 12.5%, and at the same time the monpoly on supply of tea by the Dutch East india Company was beginning to wane. As tea grew cheaper, there was less concern with safeguarding the contents, and as a result the of the tea caddy slowly declined. Most tea caddies avaiolable on the market were made before the mid 19th century.

A variation on the tea caddy is the teapoy, where a larger version of the tea caddy was mounted on a stem and base to form a small table. less...

Treen is a word from Old English meaning "wooden". It is now used as a collective term for small carved or turned timber objects, that were made for household use. The term is also applied to wooden articles that do not fit any other classification. The word is not used to describe objects that are mainly ornamental, nor to furniture.

Before the late 17th century when pewter, silver and ceramic tableware began to come into use for the middle and lower classes, wood was the default material for most dining utensils, from plates and bowls to spoons, and the use more... of wood extended to other kitchen and household equipment.

Almost all treen is anonymously made - there are no makers names or marks. The objects were made by the local cabinetmakers and wood turners.

Over the years many treen objects have acquired a satisfying patina, through their constant handling and use. Earlier kitchen tools were waxed rather than polished, and today will be rough, stained, chipped, and scorched, revealing a lot of use in their previous lives.

The variety of objects made for general household use is enormous and includes pepper-mills, cigarette boxes, flower troughs, napkin rings, punch bowls lined with metal, platters, porringers, ladles, salad servers, bowls, puzzle money boxes, egg cups, spice boxes, lemon squeezers, pails, glove stretchers, potato mashers, spoons, mouse-traps, colanders, back scratchers, and nutcrackers.

Basic utlilitarian items such as such as the above, were usually waxed rather than polished and bear the hallmarks of their use being rough, stained, chipped and scorched.

The more decorative treen articles for the drawing room or bedroom were polished, lacquered, painted, or inlaid with coloured woods, ivory, mother-of-pearl, or coloured glass.

Amongst the more unusual items are miniature letter boxes for country houses, decoy ducks, body massagers and silk winders. less...