Figure 1 1 . — Silver tea set consisting of teapot, sugar bowl, container for cream or milk, and 

 waste bowl, made by John McMuUin, of Philadelphia, about 1800. Matching coffee and hot 

 water pot made by Samuel Williamson, also of Philadelphia. The letter "G," in fashionable 

 script, is engraved on each piece. {USNM 3780^; Smithsonian photo 45541.) 



upon low feet; others had pierced or fretwork galleries 

 or edges to prevent the utensils from slipping off. 

 Wood or metal was the usual material, although ce- 

 ramic trays were also used. At large gatherings a 

 tray was often employed for passing refreshments 

 (fig. 4). "A servant brings in on a silver tray the cups, 

 the sugar bowl, the cream jugs, pats of butter, and 

 smoked meat, which are offered to each individual," 

 explained Ferdinand Bayard. ^'^ The principal use of 

 the tray was, of course, to bring the tea equipage to 

 the table. Whether placed on a bare or covered table, 

 it arrived with the various pieces such as cups and 

 saucers, spoons, containers for sugar and cream or 

 inilk, tongs, bowls, and dishes arranged about the 

 teapot. 



Such tea furnishings of ceramic were sold in sets; 

 that is, all pieces being of the same pattern. News- 

 paper advertisements in the 1730's specifically men- 

 tion "Tea Setts," and later in the century ceramic 

 imports continue to include "beautiful compleat Tea- 

 Setts" (fig. 10). In the early 18th century, tea sets of 



*<• Bayard, op. cit. (footnote 36), quoted in Sheirili 

 (footnote 8), p. 93. 



op. cit. 



silver were uncommon if not actually unique, though 

 pieces were occasionally made to match existing items, 

 and, in this way, a so-called set similar to the pieces 

 seen in Tea Party in the Time of George I (fig. 5) could be 

 formed. However, by the latter part of the century 

 the wealthier hostesses were able to purchase from 

 among a "most elegant assortment of Silver Plate . . . 

 compleat Tea and Coffee serv^ices, plain and rich en- 

 graved." *" When of metal, tea sets (fig. 11) usually 

 consisted of a teapot, containers for sugar and cream 

 or milk, and possibly a slop bowl, while ceramic sets, 

 such as the one seen in Family Group (fig. 1), included 

 cups and saucers as well. 



<" Boston Gazette, April 25, 1737; Boston News-Letter, June 

 24, 1762; The .Xew-Tork Gazelle, January 8, 1799. These and 

 other newspaper references have been taken variously from 

 the following sources: George Francis Dow, The Arts and Crafts 

 in Xew England, 1704-1775, Topsfield, Massachusetts, 1927; 

 Rita Susswein Gottesman, The Arts and Crafts in New Tork, 

 1726-1776, New York, 1938, and The Arts and Crafts in New 

 Tork, 1777-1799, New York, 1954; and Alfred Coxe Prime, The 

 .Arts and Crafts in Philadelphia, Maryland, and South Carolina, 1721- 

 17S5, Topsfield, Massachusetts, 1929. 



PAPER 14: TEA DRINKING IN 18TH-CENTURY AMERICA 



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