These vintage ceramic tea bag holders are anthropomorphic vegetables or fruits in the shape of little tea pots. They say either “I will hold the tea bag” or “I’ll hold the tea bag.” The extra bonus is that they come with a caddy to hold them—it’s not often you can find a set of the tea bag holders with a caddy.
They can be used to hold a tea bag or as a spoon rest. Or if you want to display them, they have a flat base and can stand on their own in a cupboard or on a shelf. Three of them also have small holes on the back for hanging.
These have crazing due to their age and/or paint splotches (which would have occurred during the production process). Specific issues are noted below. See pics. I didn’t show the backs of all of them because I’m limited in the number of pics I can post.
The pink one measures about 4” wide from the tip of the spout to the handle, 3” tall, and ¾” deep. There are paint flecks in a few places on the spout and along some of the pink edge. Some white shows through in the black of the handle but it’s not a paint fleck; it would have happened during production. Marked “Japan” on the back.
The yellow one measures almost 4 ¼” wide from the tip of the spout to the handle, 3” tall, and ¾” deep. The black of the spout and a little bit on the handle seems faded, but I think that’s just the way it was painted. There’s a little paint fleck on the spout and handle. There are also some bumps in the finish that would have occurred during production. It is not marked.
The green one measures a little over 4” wide from the tip of the spout to the handle, 2 ¾” high, and ¾” deep. There’s a teeny paint fleck on the top of the spout. There are some rough spots on the base but I think they would be a result of production, not chips. Marked “Japan” on the back.
The blue one measures about 4 ¼” wide from the tip of the spout to the handle, 3” tall, and ¾” deep. There are some rough spots on the base but I think they would be a result of production, not chips. Marked “Japan” on the back.
The caddy is a gold or brass tone metal. It is tarnished or discolored in areas, but perfectly usable. It’s 5 ½” high, 4 ¾” long, and 2 ½” wide, with 4 slots for each of the tea bag holders.
These were typically made in Japan in the 1950s. They are fun, kitschy items to include in a gift basket of tea and related items—or use for yourself!
This item is sold from a vintage boutique in Jenkintown, Pa.
