Teapot 1784 - 1785

This teapot was made by William Plummer, a London-based silversmith, sometime around the turn of the 19th century. At this time, tea drinking was well-established as a daily ritual in Britain. The price of tea had gradually dropped, but silver teapots like this one were still luxury items. Owning one signaled that a household was wealthy enough to participate in refined social rituals. Tea was central to displays of politeness and hospitality. This teapot's sleek, neoclassical design conveys a sense of understated elegance, perfectly suited for such occasions. Objects like this teapot offer valuable insights into social life in 18th- and 19th-century Britain. By studying trade records, probate inventories, etiquette manuals, and visual and material culture, we can learn much more about the social meanings of tea and teapots during this time. We can learn how elite social rituals took place, how they shaped British culture, and who was included or excluded.