A very nice late 19th century rectangular tea caddy made from maple and with oak veneer trim.

Tea was a very precious commodity throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and the purpose of a tea caddy was not just to preserve the and extend the life of the precious tea leaves, but also to enable the owner to lock away those aforementioned valuable tea leaves and therefore keep it away from the potential wandering hands of any staff.

19cm / 7.5" x 13cm / 5.5" x 10.5cm / 4.5"