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.” These are being sold individually; please indicate on the dropdown which one(s) you would like.
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). Some of the lettering is crooked (part of their charm). 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; let me know if you want to see more.
Darker pink one. It measures about 4” wide from the tip of the spout to the handle, 3” tall, and ¾” deep. It is in near mint condition, with only a tiny chip on the top. Marked “Japan” on the back.
Yellow one. It measures almost 4 ¼” wide from the tip of the spout to the handle, 3” tall, and ¾” deep. There are some tiny chips along the left edge, and at the bottom right corner of the base (although there’s also some paint there, so maybe that happened during production). There are paint flecks on the spout and part of the handle (meaning they’re not chips, just areas where the painted has flecked off a bit). There are more paint splotches than normal on the back of the spout. Marked “Japan” on the back.
Lighter pink one. It measures almost 4” wide from the tip of the spout to the handle, 2 ¾” tall, and ¾” deep. There are a few rough spots along the edges that I don’t think are tiny chips; I think they would have occurred during production. Marked “Japan” on the back.
Green one. It measures a little over 4” wide from the tip of the spout to the handle, 2 ¾” high, and ¾” deep. There are several old and shallow surface chips at the base. It is not marked.
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.
