Waste Bowl from a Tea Service 1807 - 1813

This waste bowl comes from an English porcelain tea service, made by the Worcester Porcelain Works. Tea drinking in the 18th century was more than just refreshment; it was a social ritual, symbolizing status and refinement. The bowl's delicate porcelain and ornate decoration, featuring gilded foliage against a salmon ground, speak to the wealth required to possess such items. It reflects the rise of consumer culture in Britain, fueled by global trade and colonial exploitation. Sugar plantations and tea farms relied on enslaved labor and colonial domination, yet the final product became a marker of elite status. To understand this waste bowl fully, we delve into the economic and social history of its time. We can trace the trade routes that brought tea and porcelain to England, and explore the class dynamics of tea consumption. By examining archival documents, company records, and social histories, we can uncover the complex web of power and privilege that shaped this seemingly innocuous object.