Antique Silver Tea Sets

Antique Silver Tea Sets and antique silver plated tea sets are highly prized, and a truly wonderful way to add a little luxury to every day life. Tea has been drunk in the far east for many thousands of years, but it arrived in Europe in the 16th century, and was popular throughout Europe by the late 17th century. At first it was not normal to have a silver tea set, each piece of teaware being bought separately. Tea Pots, silver sugar bowls and cream jugs did not need to match, and often silver was mixed with porcelain. By the late 18th century, the rule of George III, it became fashionable for tea related antiques to match, and thus the Georgian Silver Tea Set was born! Having said that, to find a pre-1800 tea set is very unusual indeed. Georgian silver tea sets can more regularly be found from 1805 onwards, and are in elegant Regency styles. At this time the antique silver plated tea set appears, in the form of fine Old Sheffield Plate tea sets.

As time went on the plain Georgian style of silver tea set gave over to more ornate taste. William the IV and Victoria both saw an explosion in embellishment, especially floral embellishment, and Victorian silver tea sets are often extremely finely decorated. Both silver three piece tea sets (comprising of a tea pot, cream jug and sugar bowl), and silver four piece tea sets (with the addition of a coffee pot, or a silver hot water jug) can be regularly found.
It is also possible to find even larger sets, containing both hot water jug and coffee pot, and even a silver tea kettle and matching tray!