Tea Sets
1720s Chinese Chinese Export Antique Tea Sets
Ceramic, Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Plastic
Early 20th Century Edwardian Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century American Edwardian Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century British Art Deco Tea Sets
Sheet Metal, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Silver, Metal
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Chrome
Late 20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Stainless Steel
1920s British Rococo Vintage Tea Sets
Silver Leaf, Sheet Metal, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Silver, Metal
1930s British Art Deco Vintage Tea Sets
Sheet Metal, Sterling Silver, Silver Plate, Silver, Metal
1890s American Antique Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Dutch Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Pewter
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
1780s English Neoclassical Antique Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
1790s English George III Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 1900s French Art Deco Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1980s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Stainless Steel
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
1760s English George III Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1980s Japanese Post-Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century German Art Deco Tea Sets
Brass
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Brass
1910s German Vintage Tea Sets
Silver
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Tea Sets
Aluminum
1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Brass
1810s English Regency Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Chinese Art Deco Tea Sets
Carnelian, Pewter, Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Aluminum
1820s British George IV Antique Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century French Arts and Crafts Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1890s French Belle Époque Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
1810s English Regency Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
Late 20th Century French Country Tea Sets
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Tea Sets
Ceramic
1720s Chinese Qing Antique Tea Sets
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Ceramic
1970s English Scandinavian Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Plastic
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Plastic
1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tea Sets
Gold, Copper
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Plastic
1930s Vintage Tea Sets
Silver
Late 20th Century English Tea Sets
Metallic Thread
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Japanese Edo Tea Sets
Porcelain
1950s Italian Vintage Tea Sets
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Oceanic Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Leather
20th Century Tea Sets
Silver
1810s English Regency Antique Tea Sets
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Stainless Steel
1970s Chinese Vintage Tea Sets
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Russian Tea Sets
Brass, Steel
19th Century Antique Tea Sets
Silver
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Tea Sets
Plastic
Mid-20th Century German Modern Tea Sets
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary South African Modern Tea Sets
Ceramic
Antique, New and Vintage Tea Sets
Ready to serve high tea and brunch for your family and friends? Start with the right antique, new or vintage tea set.
Tea is a multicultural, multinational beverage and isn’t confined to any particular lifestyle or age group. It has humble beginnings, and one of its best-known origin stories places the first cups of tea in 2700 B.C. in China, where it was recognized for its medicinal properties. Jump ahead to 17th-century England, when Chinese tea began to arrive at ports in London. During the early 1800s, tea became widely affordable, and the concept of teatime took shape all over England. Today, more than 150 million people reportedly drink tea daily in the United States.
Early tea drinkers enjoyed their beverage in a bowl, and English potters eventually added a handle to the porcelain bowls so that burning your fingers became less of a teatime hazard. With the rise in the popularity of teatime, tea sets, also referred to as tea service, became a hot commodity.
During Queen Victoria’s reign, teakettles and coffeepots were added to tea services that were quite large — indeed, small baked goods were served with your drink back then, and a tea set could include many teacups and saucers, a milk pot and other accessories.
During the early 1920s, a sterling-silver full tea service and tray designed by Tiffany & Co. might include a hot-water kettle on a stand, a coffeepot, teapot, a creamer with a small lip spout, a waste bowl and a bowl for sugar, which the British were stirring into tea as early as the 18th century.
But you don’t have to limit your tea set to Victorian or Art Deco styles — shake up teatime with an artful contemporary service. If the bold porcelain cups and saucers by Italian brand Seletti are too unconventional for your otherwise subdued tea circle, find antique services on 1stDibs from Japan, France and other locales as well as vintage mid-century modern tea sets and neoclassical designs.