Featured Is This Silverplate Item a Biscuit Jar or a Tea Caddy?

I recently bought a large lot of fabulous silverplate. I think the previous owner had most of it replated along the way. Otherwise, I can't understand how the silver could be in such great condition.

This is a Hukin & Heath item. I found some others on line. One seller says it a tea caddy and the other says it a biscuit jar. It measures 5" high from the base of the jar to the top, not including the lid and it's 5 3/8" in diameter. Overall height is 7 1/2". It seems too big for a tea caddy, BWDIK? Here it is. Thanks for your help!

 

I don't care what it is. It's divine and personally I would fill it with pink and white mini merengues and set it on a mahogany sideboard, next to a huge bouquet of fragrant flowers.

wants

needs

faints from lack of oxygen and shock

 

Here's a similar one described as "an ornate canister"

https://www.rubylane.com/item/1089582-MCGP1467/Antique-Hukin-Heath-SilverPlate-6-32

 

It's a lovely thing, It just seems too pretty for a tea caddy to me.

 

Looks like a biscuit barrel/jar to me...

~Cheryl

 

bluemoon - I'm glad you like it!

Cheryl and P Ivy - Yes, I think it's a biscuit barrel too. I thought tea caddies were smaller.

I looked at the one on the link and mine is in much much better condition. That's why I think the previous owner must have had this re-plated. They came to me already mostly polished as well. Can you believe?

 

Not at home to check my references, but here's one of similar form in solid silver from an 1899 catalog:



~Cheryl

 

Cheryl - Wow, 9 pounds for that! That was a lot of money in 1899.

 

A spot of history to bear in mind. When tea was a very expensive luxury, tea caddies flourished. Silver, Tortoiseshell, mahogany and inlay, they were expensive to house an expensive product. Nowadays we have a cardboard box of teabags.

Steamships and the reduction and then removal of the tax on tea made it a peoples drink, and killed the tea caddy. Around the time the tea caddy as a fancy special thing died out, in come factory made cookies and a container for them.

In fact, a big biscuit maker made special biscuit tins in the shape of tea caddies, see Huntley and Palmers fancy tins.

Quite often with antiques, if you can put an approximate date on them, you can rule out possible uses by the history and habits of the time.

Pretty well all the silver tea caddies I have seen have slide on lids which is a bit odd as all other materials have one essential, a lock.

 

Hi Bluemoon,
That is exactly what Silverthwait would have said. I miss her so much.
greg

 

AF is most wise.

Too often, people forget the history behind antiques, and that leads to problems and mistakes. I always believe that the two go hand in hand. You can't understand one without the other.

That said, I'd say this is a biscuit-barrel. Tea-caddies were usually lined in something, weren't they?

 

Looks like it is a biscuit barrel then, You're so lucky to have such a lovely piece, It looks like it has been looked after and treasured all these years.

 

Tea caddies were only lined if they were wooden, to protect the tea from flavour contamination. Metal ones did not need it.

Another important generalisation, think about why things were done and you can often see if something belongs or not.

 

I have an identical one. It belonged to my great aunt and was always used as a biscuit barrel. I am hoping to sell it but have no idea of its value. Any ideas???

 

Shangas, that's something that is all too often forgotten. As af's post demonstrates, historical context is all.

 

Nowadays of course, it would probably hold jelly beans, smarties, M&Ms, or other non-sticky candy. it would also make a heckuva posh holder for the television remote.

 

Cotton wool balls on one's dressing table!

 

Couldn't find a way to delete this reply, only to delete the message. Sorry.

--- SUsan

 

An identical one was on Tias.com but not there anymore. A pic of it is on Pinterest with little info other than the makers.

https://www.pinterest.se/pin/43910165088911664/

--- Susan