The History of the Teapot

In the modern age’s demand for haste and efficiency in most that we set ourselves to, a teapot is a rebellious piece of kitchenware that many of us still hold dear. The teapot has come to symbolise a luxurious indulgence of a simple action: drinking tea. Naturally, we are all for this, but where did it all start? The history of the teapot is seldom touched upon, and part of the reason for this is that some key elements have been lost to history. So, without further ado, here is Char’s somewhat kintsugi’d guide to the history of the teapot. 

Our story begins, as tea stories often do, in China. During the Yuan Dynasty, small ceramic or bronze vase-like vessels were used for storing water or wine. Some had elongated necks, others stout. By the Ming Dynasty, they started to be used in the steeping of tea leaves. The shift to using hot water eventually required certain adaptations to be made consistently: a handle, a spout, and a lid to maintain a consistent temperature whilst the leaves infused in the water. Each of these design elements were sometimes used in Yuan Dynasty water or wine ewers, but tea drinking made these fundamental requirements. Thus, the Yixing teapot was made. These are designed for a single person’s use, being small enough for only a cup or so, and are made from unglazed, porous purple clay. The nature of this clay means that with each steeping, some of the tea’s flavour and nourishing properties are absorbed into the teapot itself, enhancing every cup beyond. This design was also popular in what is now an iconic sight of Chinese porcelain, both of which were excellent for heat retention and signified elegance amongst aristocrats of Europe.

What we do not know is whether these teapots were in common use by the time the Dutch trade routes brought the beverage of tea to Britain, and these recognisable teapots were not the only means commonly used to enjoy loose leaf tea at this time. The Ming dynasty also gave rise to the gaiwan – a lidded cup with a saucer designed for multiple infusions of the same leaves. However the British upper classes first came by the preparation of the beverage, by 1694 the British East India Company were requesting versions of wine ewers that had a grate in the spout to prevent leaves falling into one’s cup. In this request, a true distinction was drawn and a vessel that was unequivocally a teapot was born.

Tea became more popular in Britain with the union of King Charles II to Portuguese Queen Catherine of Braganza. She brought with her a passion for tea, which quickly caught on in Britain as a whole: liking tea marked your distinguished taste. British potters began to put their own spin on porcelain teapots with “queens ware” cream coloured earthenware teapots which were slightly more durable and affordable, and British silversmiths soon began to identify a growing market for better heat-conducting vessels. Although competition with established Chinese porcelain teapots was strong, by the Georgian era silver teapots were part of many peoples’ tea sets. Britain’s tea identity was beginning to take off.

By the Victorian era, the more luxurious bone china tea sets also became fashionable amongst the higher classes (its delicacy leading to the modern debate of whether to put milk or tea in one’s cup first) but tea’s elite status had wavered and tea was instead the fuel of the industrial revolution. Once again, British potters honed the teapot’s design and, from red clay found in potter’s paradise Stoke-on-Trent, they created the now iconic Brown Betty teapot. Its sturdiness and unpretentious design aligned well with British sensibilities, and soon became symbolic of Britain’s working class.

Since then, the average person has gained a wealth of options for how they would like to prepare their tea – whether it be reflective of traditional beauty, practicality, or modern innovation on behalf of inspiringly creative potters and even glass-blowers! Yet many people shrug off the opportunity to be part of this rich, centuries-old tradition in favour of the efficient and morning-friendly routine of a one-cup permanent infuser, or even teabags. Not that we begrudge anyone a quality cup of tea in a way that suits their routine, but we will implore you to try and carve out time every now and then for the time-honoured healing and tactile ritual of sitting with a pot of tea and a biscuit.

Should you need some inspiration, you can find our range of teapots here.