Tea For One: The Beauty of the Bachelor Teapot
Long before the invention of tea bags and the concept of making a quick brew in a mug in a matter of seconds, tea time was a far more ritualistic affair. History tells us of elaborate afternoon tea parties in Victorian England and, going back far further, a rich history of ceremonial tea drinking in […] ...Read More...
The Beauty of Silver Teapots
Call me old-fashioned, but I am a firm believer that tea in its truest form has to be served in a teapot. And what could be more beautiful than a silver teapot? That’s right: nothing. Antique or not, silver teapots have something about them that adds to the tea itself, and it’s not just the […] ...Read More...
What are the Pieces in a Silver Tea Set?
This seems to be a popular question causing mystery to many ‘What are the pieces in a tea set?’ I suppose the reason why it can be a tricky one to answer is that it depends on the complexity of the tea set as to what the pieces are. I think it might be useful […] ...Read More...
Tea in the Georgian Era
The routine is familiar to us all- boil the kettle, steep the tea, and add milk and sugar to taste. Tea-making is as natural to us Brits as breathing. In fact, centuries ago writer David Elliston claimed ‘the making of tea is one of the most deep seated British rituals, impervious to change’. It’s hard […] ...Read More...
Silver For Tea Drinking
We British are known for being big fans of a good cup of English tea and here at AC Silver we know that silver enriches the taste of food and drink. Originally tea was reserved only for the upper classes in society due to its expense when imported into Europe from China in the late […] ...Read More...
What is a Finial?
The dictionary definition of a finial is an ornament at the end, top or corner of an object. With such a definition, buildings, curtain rails, flag poles, and other objects, can be said to have finials. However, in the antique silverware world, when someone says finial we might associate that word with teapots, kettles, coffee […] ...Read More...
How to Use a Silver Teapot
If you have one teapot And can brew your tea in it That will do quite well. How much does he lack himself Who must have a lot of things? – Sen No Rikyu The key to using your silver teapot is frequency; the more you use it the better it will look! In fact […] ...Read More...
Teapot History
The History of Teapots Tea Traditions From Around The World Tea was first introduced to Britain in the 17th century, and it was initially exclusive to gentlemen of the upper classes, and was only sold in coffee houses. This was in no small part due to the high price to import tea leaves. Eventually, tea […] ...Read More...
Types of Teapots
Who Invented the Teapot According to legend the first ever cup of tea was enjoyed by Emperor Shennung in 2737 BC, China. He was visiting part of his realm; he stopped for a break whist travelling, as his servants were boiling water for the court to drink. As they did this leaves from a nearby […] ...Read More...
Lifetime of a Silver Teapot
Silver Memories My favourite memory from my employment at AC Silver is my mum’s first visit to the retail shop. She said something that has stuck with me for three years. “Imagine if all the original owners of all these wonderful items of silver were here in the shop right now.” This insightful comment is […] ...Read More...
