FINE JEWELLERY, WATCHES, SILVER & COINS 30th April 2025 at 12pm

Queen Victoria had a major impact on dining practices in Britain and Ireland even after her reign. She was a huge fan of afternoon tea, after being inspired by Anna, Duchess of Bedford, who would e njoy tea around 4pm each day when she foun d she was getting hungry between lunch and d inner and needed something to tide her over .Tea was a vital par t of every household in the 19 th and 20th century as it still is today!), and has been e njoyed in Britain and Ireland since as early as the 18th century. Lot 476 is a George V Silver Tea Caddy from Birmingham 1926. The use of a tea caddy promoted storing tea properly and keeping it fresh as tea leaves could dry out very easily, so it was impor tant they were kept in an air tight container. Originally, tea was stored in porcelain or silver canisters within a wooden tea chest that was locked, but eventually households with only one type of tea would keep the leaves only in the canisters.The lady of the house would be the only person to hold the keys to the tea caddy, promoting the proper tea etiquette and emphasising the impor tance of tea in a household setting.We also have a set of twelve silver tea spoons (Lot 480), which are essential for any good cup of tea to stir in milk and sugar. DInner was enjoyed between 6pm-8pm in most households, though farming families mostly treated their lunch as dinner which is still true for many today. A typical dinner consisted of a plate filled with meat and two types of vegetables, with a side of gravy that was optional; in the Georgian era however, a multitude of sauces were almost essential due to the amount of courses being eaten at each meal. Steak and kidney pie was a popular meal, along with stew - both of which would be served using a long handled serving spoon (Lot 479). Plates were placed on dish rings (Lot 488) to prevent the hot plates damaging the mahogany dinner table. Think of them as a modern day charger or coaster - but a very fancy version! When you go to the cinema in September to watch the final instalment of the Downton Abbey saga, keep these objects in mind when the Crwaley family and their counterparts are dining and see if you can spot any porringers or dishrings! Isobel Morgan BA, MA Lot 476 Lot 474 10 LIVE AUCTION OF FINE JEWELLERY, WATCHES, SILVER & COINS • WEDNESDAY, 30th APRIL 2025 AT 12PM