Creativi-tea

  • Black Tea Canister

Consuming tea, hot chocolate and coffee was a popular pastime in the 18th century. New types of objects were developed for these exotic drinks in response to the wishes of potential buyers. Dam, Jan Daan van., and Wiggers, Hinke. Delffse Porceleyne : Delfts aardewerk 1620- 1850. Zwolle : Amsterdam: Waanders ; Rijksmuseum, 2004, 112. As the widespread circulation of tea and the culture of drinking these then-new beverages expanded, so grew the demand for service sets. Black Delftware objects are generally associated with tea drinking, since this was regarded as an exclusive and exotic activity. Hence, most items are tea accessories like plates, teapots, coffee pots, canisters and tablewares. Illustrative examples are the ribbed-style tea canisters decorated with cut-outs, pagoda scenes, landscapes and figures[fig.26,27,28,29].

Black Delftware items were generally of a smaller size, but this small teapot[fig.30], made around 1700, is tiny: only 7.5 cm in height. In terms of sizing, a compelling link can be made to early teapots from China, like these three examples [fig.31]. Tiny teapots were used to brew tea and used during tea tasting sessions. The holding capacity allowed concentrated brews of a particular type. These, in turn, could be diluted using hot water to create the perfect cup of tea. The sizing also reflects the value of the tea, because tea was consumed sparingly. Aronson Antiquairs ‘‘Black Delftware Teapot and Cover’’ https://www.aronson.com/object/d1046-black-delftware-teapot-and-cover/

  • Fig. 26: De Metaale Pot, teapot and cover, Delft, c.1700-1724, tin-glazed earthenware with black ground and polychrome decoration, 14 x 18.1 cm (h,l), Victoria and Albert Museum, inv.nr. 128A-1887, https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O118495/teapot-and-cover-eenhoorn- lambertus-van/

    Fig. 26: De Metaale Pot, teapot and cover, Delft, c.1700-1724, tin-glazed earthenware with black ground and polychrome decoration, 14 x 18.1 cm (h,l), Victoria and Albert Museum, inv.nr. 128A-1887, https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O118495/teapot-and-cover-eenhoorn- lambertus-van/

  • Fig. 27: De Metaale Pot, coffee pot, Delft, c.1710–1730, earthenware, lead glaze (quartz), enamel paints, large and small firing technique, polychrome (blue, red, green and yellow) on black ground, 20 × 17 × 11 cm (h,w,d), Courtesy: Museum Prinsenhof, Delft, inv.nr. N/A.

    Fig. 27: De Metaale Pot, coffee pot, Delft, c.1710–1730, earthenware, lead glaze (quartz), enamel paints, large and small firing technique, polychrome (blue, red, green and yellow) on black ground, 20 × 17 × 11 cm (h,w,d), Courtesy: Museum Prinsenhof, Delft, inv.nr. N/A.

  • Fig. 28: Factory unknown, black Delftware rectangular tea canister and cover, Delft, c.1695-1720, 8.6 cm (h), courtesy: Aronson Antiquairs, D9023, https://www.aronson.com/object/d9023-black- delftware-rectangular-tea-canister-and-cover/

    Fig. 28: Factory unknown, black Delftware rectangular tea canister and cover, Delft, c.1695-1720, 8.6 cm (h), courtesy: Aronson Antiquairs, D9023, https://www.aronson.com/object/d9023-black- delftware-rectangular-tea-canister-and-cover/

  • Fig. 29: Presumably De Metaale Pot, black Delftware fluted rectangular tea canister and cover, Delft, c.1720, 10.5 cm (h), courtesy: Aronson Antiquairs, D1436, https://www.aronson.com/object/d1436-black-delftware-fluted-rectangular-tea-canister- and-cover

    Fig. 29: Presumably De Metaale Pot, black Delftware fluted rectangular tea canister and cover, Delft, c.1720, 10.5 cm (h), courtesy: Aronson Antiquairs, D1436, https://www.aronson.com/object/d1436-black-delftware-fluted-rectangular-tea-canister- and-cover

  • Fig. 30: Factory unknown, Black Delftware teapot and cover, Delft, c.1700, 7,5 cm (h). courtesy: Aronson Antiquairs, D1046, https://www.aronson.com/object/d1046-black-delftware-teapot- and-cover/

    Fig. 30: Factory unknown, Black Delftware teapot and cover, Delft, c.1700, 7,5 cm (h). courtesy: Aronson Antiquairs, D1046, https://www.aronson.com/object/d1046-black-delftware-teapot- and-cover/

  • Fig. 31: Anonymous, Small covered winepot or teapots, Chinese, 1662–1722, Qing Dynasty, Kangxi period porcelain painted in underglaze blue, 8.7 cm to 8.8 cm (h) Robert Lehman Collection, 1975, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, inv.nr. 1975.1.1712, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/460667

    Fig. 31: Anonymous, Small covered winepot or teapots, Chinese, 1662–1722, Qing Dynasty, Kangxi period porcelain painted in underglaze blue, 8.7 cm to 8.8 cm (h) Robert Lehman Collection, 1975, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, inv.nr. 1975.1.1712, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/460667