Vintage clothes shook off their fusty image years ago and now it's the turn of vintage tea ware to swipe the top style spot. Alexandra Fullerton reports...
The classic image of afternoon tea supped from a china cup is back in vogue. A genteel revolution means that tea aficionados are doing away with clunky earthenware mugs and bringing back tea served from elegant porcelain vessels instead. Whereas second-hand tea wares were either sourced at Sotheby's (for significant sums) or found languishing in the 'everything 10p' box at a jumble sale, sales of vintage tea sets are now riding high. Numerous shops, websites and tea-rooms are facilitating the purchase of pre-loved porcelain.
But why is the trend in the spotlight now? Economic reasons have a part to play. Katy Potts, founder of Tea for Two (who could be credited with jump-starting the trend) says, "The credit crunch has certainly provoked a turn towards all things ‘home-y’" while Lynne Robinson, of design blog Tea for Joy agrees. "The resurgence in old tea sets isn't due to the recession but the economic situation means that people are considering buying second-hand, when they may not have done before". Lynne also points out the ethical reasons to go vintage, "There is a growing environmental consciousness, so recycling and reusing has become very important."
Carol Oldham, of online emporium Dormouse and The Teapot think the popularity of vintage is down to sentimental reasons. "People like to buy vintage because it allows them to reminisce. It might remind them of their childhood and allow them to recreate their grandmother's Sunday tea but people are also recognizing that we have lived in a throwaway culture for far too long and that we should reuse and preserve what we already have."
Of course people could simply be tuning into vintage tea wares because of their antique aesthetic appeal. Vicky Osborne started collecting Art Deco sets for her Roaring Twenties-themed wedding and now runs Vintage Tea Sets a website that lets you hire tea sets for weddings, parties and picnics. "Vintage tea sets look gorgeous on the table, but on closer examination there’s more to them than meets the eye. The fact they’ve lasted so many years says it all" she opines. "There’s also a finite number of sets so the rarity is also a contributing factor. Sipping a cup of freshly brewed tea out of a 120 year old Royal Doulton fine china tea cup makes the ritual more exciting and special." Vicky also points out that, "many sets can be traced to the very kiln they were created in, and some dated within months of their production." Who wouldn't want pottery with provenance in their home?
Irene Gorman, Head of The Tea Guild, reminds us that ornate tea sets were popular wedding gifts in the past: "One set would be given for everyday use and one was for 'entertaining'. But, as time went on, fashion trends dictated that china became sharper and less intricate in design. Consequently many china manufacturers stopped producing the traditional designs and this has now created a huge interest in sourcing and collecting vintage pieces on which to serve afternoon tea. Many young women today are keenly seeking out their grandmothers’ china tea sets!"
The majority of vintage pieces are simply gorgeous to look at, with intricate floral patterns and fine see-through china. They're a million miles away from the generic, minimalist design the high street churns out. Chloe Bennett of The Oxford Tea Party sees lots of customers who are vintage clothing fans and who want to "expand their look into their homes" but she continues, "there is a growing trend for drinking tea 'properly' in fine china cups and this lends itself naturally to a desire for the original vintage look. Everyone wants to feel unique and it's fabulous to know there won't be thousands of people all over the country drinking from the same cup as you!" Lynne Robinson echoes this sentiment, "It's cool to celebrate our Britishness at the moment so drinking tea from an old teapot and eating buns is a fun thing to do. Also, there are so many new varieties of tea out there - some in such beautiful packaging - that it's just a very enjoyable drink."
Every trend, though, is cyclical so could the current craze for old-school cups and saucers crash and burn? Thankfully, it looks like it's a trend that can't be stopped. Just as vintage clothing has become ubiquitous with High Street stores stocking pre-loved pieces and second hand gowns appearing on the red carpet, vintage tea wares are here to stay. Vicky Osborne sums it up, "I'm getting such a large variety of queries I just see it getting more popular!" |
