The tradition of afternoon tea is credited to Anna Maria Stanhope, 7^th Duchess of Bedford in her rooms at Belvoir Castle in 1840. Eventually the duchess began inviting her friends and other ladies. By the late 1840s, Queen Victoria had learned of the activity and the royal household was hosting daily tea parties which became known as “afternoon tea.” Within a decade, afternoon tea had become a social event with established etiquette and included service of cakes, sandwiches and assorted sweets.

Afternoon tea menu V&A Museum

According to Mrs. Beeton, afternoon tea “seems to the feminine mind almost a necessity where dinner is late.” Outdoor tea gardens were also popular sites where men and women could meet freely in a socially acceptable manner.

Tea in Kensington Gardens. Illustration for Living London edited by George Sims (Cassell, c. 1900).

During the second half of the 19^th century, tea consumption in Britain quadrupled and the custom was adopted by virtually everyone. There was an emerging need for tea sets which could be mass produced. Majolica manufacturers met that need with an astounding variety of fashionable styles.

Majolica for an afternoon tea

Majolica teapots were produced either as stand-alone items or as part of a complete tea set. The sets were composed of the tea pot, sugar, creamer, and sometimes a cup and saucer pair. Some also included a dedicated matching tray with a niche for each element. These elaborate sets were produced by Minton, Wedgwood, George Jones as well as other smaller manufacturers. Few complete sets have survived intact and the trays are particularly rare.

Of note are a number of novelty figural teapots produced by Minton. The most common of these are a Chinaman holding a Noh mask and a monkey dressed in chrysanthemum jacket holding a coconut. The rarest is in the form of a vulture with entwined python grasped in his beak. All are very popular collector items.

External Links:

• Pinterest: Majolica Tea Things
• Pinterest: Figural English Teapots