Silver tea strainer & drip bowl

Rather pretty tea strainer with its original stand. The stem has an openwork and pierced finial decorated with scrolls and a belflower. The bowl is flower shaped and the piercing within it has been done by hand.

Tea strainers emerged in 17th century Europe when tea drinking became hugely popular and readily available to those outside China. Given the surge in tea drinking in Europe and America, the tea strainer was designed to separate the loose leaves from the hot water and many silver examples were accompanied by a drip stand or bowl where the strainer could be placed in between cups of tea. Tea's new fashion status attracted silversmiths to create a wide variety of tea-related accessories that were often turned into elaborate masterpieces.

Even today, the pleasure of a properly made cup of tea with tea leaves is undiminished and a silver tea strainer is the perfect accessory for the event