Tea-drinking has been a part of human culture for centuries, and so it’s no surprise that – over the years – humans have developed a variety of different ways to drink it. Different methods, additions, and utensils have all been introduced to varying degrees of success.
Arguably the most successful introduction is the teapot. The advent of the teapot occurred during the Yuan Dynasty in China, between 1271 and 1368. Before this time, tea was not brewed using a teapot. The earliest example of a teapot that exists to this day dates to 1513, and is – perhaps unsurprisingly – originates from China.
People have their preferred methods of tea-drinking, but today we’re going to focus on the benefits of making tea with a silver teapot.
Appearance
The aesthetics are a part of tea-drinking, whether you like it or not. Everything from the cups to the teapots to the tea leaves themselves adds to the atmosphere of the process. There has always been something of a ceremony around drinking tea, both in Chinese culture and internationally, and having an aesthetically pleasing teapot is an important part of paying proper respects to the event.
Silver teapots are perfectly acceptable beauties, definitely worthy of the procedure of drinking tea. Not only is their colour distinctive and appealing, but they come in a huge range of shapes, sizes, and styles. Silver teapots were first made in the 17th century, and through this enormous time period, many different styles have become popular.
Victorian teapots, for example, often feature a lot of ornamentation, with scrolling designs along them that definitely add a sense of grandiosity to the event of drinking tea. In later years, design styles like Art Nouveau and Art Deco would come along, and – with them – more teapots in drastically different styles. You are essentially guaranteed to find something you like when it comes to silver teapots.
Value
Whilst teapots in general are not very expensive, they also don’t hold a lot of value. Silver teapots, however, come at a higher price, but carry more value than teapots made from other materials. Buying an antique silver teapot is even better; there are plenty of collectors of antique silverware who are willing to pay top dollar for the right silver teapot.
This means that – if you manage to get your hands on the right piece – you can own your silver teapot for as long as you want, allowing it to accrue greater monetary value. When it comes to silver teapots, as long as they are in good condition, the older the better. Older silver teapots have an air of history about them that makes them more appealing to collectors, and auctions often find that silver teapots will sell well.
There are certain silversmiths throughout history who have made a selection of silver teapots also, and these silver teapots are considered to be more highly valuable because of the hallmarks of the silversmiths. Certain brands such as Paul Storr, Hester Bateman, and Omar Ramsden all draw a certain appeal from collectors, and passing silver teapots with their brands on them down through your family for a couple of generations can turn it into a real investment.
Taste
It is well-known that silver – because of its purity – has an effect on the flavour of both food and drink. Supposedly, food tastes better when eaten from a silver plate with silver cutlery. The same applies to tea.
Using a silver teapot ensures that the tea’s flavour is pure, and unadulterated by the material used in the pot. The same cannot be said for many other materials used to make teapots, which often leave trace flavours in the tea that leaves the experience somewhat marred. All those looking for the finest tea should know that using a silver teapot will offer them the best experience at tea time.
So, there you have it, just three of the many benefits of using a silver teapot in your own tea-making. What do you think, are you likely to use a silver teapot the next time you make a cuppa?
