MARKET VALUE

Do you suffer with pilfering servants?

- WITH DUNCAN PHILLIPS

Is your pantry raided overnight? It was a common problem for the gentry in the 18th century especially those who enjoyed the finer things in life and tried to keep a tight grip on their comestibles, especially that most fashionable of beverages, tea.Tea, of course, is the nation's favourite drink, and the availability of all kinds of varieties and blends has never been greater. Many of us will have received a nicely packaged gift of tea wares for Christmas or perhaps enjoyed a special afternoon tea in a hotel with all the sweet extras.

Of course, the origins and history of tea drinking provides plenty of opportunities for collectors. At antiques fairs and markets, you're almost sure to find a sturdy wooden tea caddy for sale, often well-worn and missing its glass and silver linings. They are strong reminders of a bygone age when tea was sold in solid blocks and kept in dry containers, and the tea caddy was an important addition to any middle-class home. And usually they were made with a lock and key, which demonstrates just how precious were the contents.

For the collector, the desirability of a caddy is usually determined by the quality of its workmanship, external decoration and condition. Probably the most famous collector of caddies was Queen Mary. She left a selection of treasures to the Victoria & Albert Museum where they can be seen today.

Prices have risen considerably in recent years for the rarest and best, accompanied by the emergence of specialist dealers. Mark Goodger is a regular exhibitor at the fairs and offers a fine collection of caddies in all shapes and sizes on his website.