Let me tell you, choosing just ten for this was an incredibly difficult proposition. Not to mention that I did not succeed in photographing their entire collection.
1.
This beautiful set demonstrates English silversmithing at its best. The canisters date from 1757-1758, and are silver gilt (silver with a gold wash). They were created by Thomas Hemings. The chest made to contain the canisters is made of mother-of-pearl, and is lined with green velvet. I stared at the chest for a long time. Here is a detail of the chest from above:
2. Below, this beautiful silver tea caddy was part of the silver collection at the museum. I absolutely adore this and wish I could have it for my collection. The shape of the canister itself is meant to mimic the chests in which tea arrived from China, while the finial is supposed to be representative of the tea plant itself. The characters stand for righteousness and prosperity. It was made in London in the 1760s by John Henry Vere and William Lutwyche. It's quite symbolic of the 18th century obsession that Westerners had with the Orient.
3. I have an unhealthy obsession with mote spoons. I regularly check eBay and bid, but have yet to acquire one. The DeWitt Wallace has many, but the next two were my favorite because of their whimsical nature. Even the piercework in the bowl of the spoon is artful, even for such a practical purpose as catching tea leaves. I love the way the Harlequin doffs his hat. He's adorable. His maker was Londoner Emick Romer, likely in 1765-66.
4. Doesn't this little man just make you want to run away and join the circus, taking your tea with you?
5. This gilted terracotta teapot struck me as I walked past the case. Made in Staffordshire, England, in the first three decades of the eighteenth century, the design is pseudo-Chinese, again catering to the fad for all things Oriental that prevailed during the period. I'm just in love with it.
6. These Chinamen teapots are made of soft paste porcelain, and come from Chelsea, England, between 1745-49. They look so jolly and cheerful, you can't help but smile after looking at very serious silver services for hours on end.
7. During the eighteenth century, doll-sized tea sets for girls were an immensely popular toy. This set is just one example. I found it to be quite sweet.
8. I did not record any information about this teapot, because I have the Christmas ornament version sitting in my china cabinet to look at whenever I like. It is the iconic teapot of Williamsburg. I'm quite fond of it. It is also a fantastic example of the silver teapots of this period, with its wooden handle.
9. This teapot, protesting the Stamp Act of 1765, I chose for its social significance. It was manufactured in England, sold in America, and before the end of a decade, the Americans would be dumping tea into harbors up and down the coast.
10. Again with the whimsy. It just looks like it belongs in Las Vegas and not among the staid cup and saucers that it shared a display case with.
I hope you enjoyed this photo journey. Like I said, it was quite a challenge to choose, and I'm sure I will come back from the next trip with even more photographs.