The term tea caddy joins the word "tea" with "caddy", which is in turn derived from the Malay word kati, which is a measure of six hundred grams or twenty one ounces. This is how much tea would fit inside a single compartment wooden box.
Tea caddies are available in single, double or triple chamber units and can be found in many different shapes and materials usually lined inside with velvet. Wood, pewter, mother of pearl and silver are just some of the commonly used materials in the seventeenth century.
The Regency Period in the eighteenth century had the Europeans taking a liking to fine wood over the porcelain they’d enjoyed in the previous century. It wasn’t uncommon for a tea caddy to be rectangular, square or oval, even octagonal. Tea caddies were expensive yet it was a status symbol among tea drinking homes to house their precious tea leaves.
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A hidden compartment was built into some caddies along with lining in the lid where utensils were stored. Other decorations were added such as handles or feet made of everything from tortoise shell to brass. Very rarely a Chinoiserie tea caddy was created, a European style designed to attempt the recreation of a Chinese piece, often with little success. Chinoiserie caddies are incredibly rare.
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