# Who has a tea set? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 7, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568 "2005-12-07T21:53:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/1 "2005-12-07T21:53:04Z")
Lots of tea threads on the boards lately. Winter’s on its way? I presume we all have kettles. I’m guessing most of us have pots. How many of us have tea _sets?_ I make my tea in one of two pots. The smaller one yields almost two, or even almost three, mugs, which is fine for me. The larger one is for when I have guests, which I don’t so I don’t know how many cups it holds. I never use my tea set. Mom bought the tea set when we were in Japan in the '60s. The pot and four cups are double-walled, with the exterior wall decoratively pierced. They’re two shades of green, and the finish has ‘cracks’ in it. I assume it’s intentional, as I don’t remember seeing the set without them. The bail on the pot is wire, covered with a wicker-like wrapping. Back in the '90s I was in one of the Japanese shops on Sawtelle near Wilshire, and I saw an identical pot. The proprietor told me that the company has been making the same pot for 300 years. Well, not the _same_ pot. That would be silly. They’ve been making the same _style_ for a long time. I told my mom, and she offered to give me her old set. I used it once, when a classmate came over to study. (She’s half-Japanese.) I’m pretty sure the set is in the cupboard, so if anyone is interested I could pull it out and snap a photo. Anyone else have an actual tea set? ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/2 "2005-12-07T22:04:01Z")
Well, I have an electric kettle, plus a small two-cup pot with strainer insert, plus matching cup and saucer. Plus a plastic spoon. The pot/insert/cup/saucer part is Chatsford, from [uptontea.com](http://uptontea.com). A highly recommended site, and a highly recommended set. ---
**Author:** ![snorlax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@snorlax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snorlax)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/3 "2005-12-07T22:17:40Z")
Touchy subject in the snorlax household. We did, until about a month ago when I broke our teapot. Wedding present, from the now discontinued Platinum range from Marks & Sparks. Lost one teapot, gained one doghouse. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/4 "2005-12-07T22:19:25Z")
**snorlax** : That’s why they made eBay. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/5 "2005-12-07T22:19:32Z")
Full service, in sterling silver. A wedding present from my mother, who originally bought it as an investment. Never been used, but pretty. ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/6 "2005-12-07T22:23:17Z")
I have a modest tea set, a plain white teapot with four small white Chinese-style cups. I use it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/7 "2005-12-07T22:51:57Z")
I have my mother’s ancient tea set – she was making tea in it when I wasn’t old enough to reach the kitchen counter. Chinese-style pot with blue-brown-gold panel geometric pattern and 3 out of 4 teacups (one wasn’t packed tightly enough and broke into teeny bits in the mail ☹ ) and the wicker handle is coming unwrapped from the rusting metal hooks used as a backbone. Still makes brilliant tea, though. Sometimes I think my parents don’t value older stuff enough – they were puzzled when I asked for it, plus puzzled when I was very sad over the broken cup. And my mother’s migrated to Lipton teabags instead of the looseleaf Chinese teas. Whereas I’ve migrated _back_. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/8 "2005-12-07T22:54:31Z")
I have a tea set I bought at Pier 1 years ago. It’s green with a leaf pattern. Very pretty. The Highwayman broke one of the two cups though _sigh_. Oh well. When the rest of it goes, it’ll be a good excuse to buy a nice celadon set. I have a Mrs. Tea, too. I loves it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/9 "2005-12-07T23:14:14Z")
> [@lizardling](#): > > Sometimes I think my parents don’t value older stuff enough – they were puzzled when I asked for it, plus puzzled when I was very sad over the broken cup. This reminded me of [_Everyday Use_](http://www.bownet.org/jmcdermott/everyday_use__by_alice_walker.htm) by Alice Walker. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/10 "2005-12-07T23:30:50Z")
Oh, what the heck. [url=“[http://pw1.netcom.com/~heliboy/teaset.jpg](http://pw1.netcom.com/~heliboy/teaset.jpg)”]Here’s a photo. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/11 "2005-12-07T23:31:54Z")
Oh, what the heck. [Here’s a photo](http://pw1.netcom.com/~heliboy/teaset.jpg). (Only two of the four cups shown.) ---
**Author:** ![cherry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/12 "2005-12-08T00:51:13Z")
I have a tea cozy. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/13 "2005-12-08T01:18:56Z")
I have a real tea set. Teapot, sugar bowl, creamer, and six cups and saucers. I rarely use it. Generally I just make one mug of tea at a time (two servings of tea in one mug). I’m the only one in this household who likes hot tea, and I only want that much tea at one time. My husband and daughter love iced tea. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/14 "2005-12-08T04:43:46Z")
My dishes came with teacups and saucers, and I bought a teapot, sugar bowl, and creamer to match. So I guess that is a tea set. But I also have a blue-and-white teapot with four matching covered mugs, from Williams-Sonoma, which I consider to be my “real” tea set–as in, I’m going to make a pot of tea, this is what I’m making it in. The teapot is squat and round and really, really cute. I also have a matching Chinese teapot and little cups. It fell out of favor when I got the Williams-Sonoma set. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/15 "2005-12-08T06:14:00Z")
We have tea set I brought back from China; it has a place of honor in our house but seldom gets used. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/16 "2005-12-08T06:28:32Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Mom bought the tea set when we were in Japan in the '60s. The pot and four cups are double-walled, with the exterior wall decoratively pierced. _FOUR_ cups? Um, are you sure that your mom got the set in Japan? Four is a VERY unlucky number in Japan (the word sounds the same as death) and dish sets NEVER come in sets of four - usually five or six. Perhaps one of the cups was broken? Regarding the OP. I have a few tea sets. One is from Japan - pot, five cups, five saucers. Additionally, I have an antique sterling set - it’s a tea pot, coffee pot, chocolate pot, creamer, sugar, 12 spoons, and a candy dish (I’m not sure the dish is actually part of the set, but when my mom gave it to me, she said it was). Finally, I have a pottery set that I purchased for myself - pot, sugar, creamer, 8 cups (does that count?) ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/17 "2005-12-08T06:33:23Z")
I have one that I got at a small Chinese housewares shop. It consists of a small pot, 4 small cups, and a platter. A lot of it has gold plating. The pot and platter have a dragon and phoenix painted on them, and the cups have characters of good fortune. I don’t use this set very much as it was rather expensive and I seem to have a penchant for chipping/breaking teacups. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/18 "2005-12-08T13:43:00Z")
I have four stackable “tea service for one” sets: a white cup and kettle with candy designs for winter, a yellow and purple with flowers on it for spring, a bright yellow, red, and blue with fruit for summer, and a brown with yellow and red leaves for autumn. ---
**Author:** ![RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RancidYakButterTeaParty)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/19 "2005-12-08T14:03:58Z")
I’m quite fond of tea, but only certain types… ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568/20 "2005-12-08T14:14:31Z")
I have several sets. There’s my work set–a little brown hand-painted 3-cup teapot with matching cup and saucer. There’s my home set–Blue Willow, some pieces new, some antique to varying degrees. The big 6-cup teapot is for everyday use (though not always filled to the top) and the fancy 5-cupper with the gold paint on the lid and handle is for special occasions. (There are also two other Blue Willow pots, one big and a 3-cupper, but the one has a cracked spout and the other’s missing its lid, so they’re purely for decorative purposes these days). There’s a little celadon green set, but the spout on the pot for this is also damaged, so it never gets used anymore. And a black-and-white Japanese set that I gave to my parents as a gift several years ago, but came back to me when they retired and started travelling. My sister-in-law just sent me a set for Christmas that is very much like the one **Amazon Floozy Goddess** describes, but I haven’t used it yet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-a-tea-set/334568.md?page=2)