WWII sterling silver tea strainer & drip tray

Made in the middle of World War II, this delightful sterling silver tea strainer rests on a square-based drip stand. The wide handles enable the strainer to rest on any tea cup, and are nicely pierced. The stands mirrors the openwork decoration with pierced fleur-de-lys decoration in the corners of the stand base.

Loose tea is so superior to the teabag and deserving of a silver tea strainer. The pierced bowl captures the loose tea leaves as you pour tea from the teapot, and the stand catches the drips when the strainer is returned to the stand. Sit back and savour a real cup of tea.

Documentation of tea strainers appears in ancient history, but it was the arrival and rise in popularity of loose-leaf tea in 17th-century Europe when they evolved from simple pierced bowls to ornate, decorative silver tea accessories for the wealthy, with designs varying from basket-shaped to those with stands, reflecting changing fashions and the ever-increasing pleasure in the ritual of tea drinking.