Tea Drinking in 18th-Century America: Its Etiquette and Equipage: United States National Museum Bulletin 225, Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology Paper 14, pages 61-91, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 1961Roth, Rodris
History
Tea Drinking in 18th-Century America: Its Etiquette and Equipage: United States National Museum Bulletin 225, Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology Paper 14, pages 61-91, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 1961
Roth, Rodris
Tea -- United States; United States -- Social life and customs -- 18th century
Porcelain, however, had long been a part of China-trade cargos to
Europe and from there to America. The early shipments of tea had
included such appropriate vessels for the storage, brewing, and
drinking of the herb as tea jars, teapots, and teacups. The latter were
small porcelain bowls without handles, a form which the Europeans and
Americans adopted and continued to use throughout the 18th century for
tea, in contrast to the deeper and somewhat narrower cups, usually with
handles, in which chocolate and coffee were served. Even after
Europeans learned to manufacture porcelain early in the 18th century,
the ware continued to be imported from China in large quantities and
was called by English-speaking people, "china" from its country of
origin. Porcelain also was referred to as "India china ware," after the
English and continental East India Companies, the original traders and
importers of the ware. "Burnt china" was another term used in the 18th
century to differentiate porcelain from pottery.
Whatever the ware, the teacups and saucers, whether on a tray, the
cloth, or a bare table, were usually arranged in an orderly manner
about the teapot, generally in rows on a rectangular table or tray and
in a circle on a round table or tray. In the English conversation piece
painting titled _Mr. and Mrs. Hill in Their Drawing Room_, by Arthur
Devis about 1750, the circular tripod tea table between the couple and
in front of the fireplace is set in such a way. The handleless teacups
on saucers are neatly arranged in a large semicircle around the rotund
teapot in the center that is flanked on one side by a bowl and on the
other by a jug for milk or cream and a sugar container. Generally, cups
and saucers were not piled one upon the other but spread out on the
table or tray where they were filled with tea and then passed to each
guest.
[Illustration: Figure 14.--_The Old Maid_, an English cartoon published
in 1777. In Print and Photograph Division, Library of Congress.
Although the Englishwoman apparently is defying established tea
etiquette by drinking from a saucer and allowing the cat on the table,
her tea furnishings appear to be in proper order. The teapot is on a
dish and the teakettle is on its own special stand, a smaller version
of the tripod tea table.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account