Tea wasn’t just a drink in these regions—it was sustenance, ceremony, and even art. Teapot from the Himalayan region in the 19th century reflected this, with intricate decorations hinting at its use in religious rituals or weddings. Its spout, framed by the jaws of a Makara—a mythical sea creature—and its dragon-shaped handle showcase familiar Buddhist motifs common to Tibet, Ladakh, and Bhutan.

The Europeans deserve credit for the evolution of teapot design as we know it today. Tea first arrived in Europe in the early 17th century, a time when maritime exploration brought exotic luxury goods like spices, silk, and lacquer from Asia. Among these treasures, tea quickly became a prized commodity, but its steep price—once more valuable than gold—meant it was reserved for society’s elite.

The earliest European teapots took inspiration from coffee pots, another trend that reached Britain around the same time. These pots had tapering cylindrical shapes, conical lids, and spouts positioned at right angles to their handles. One of the oldest surviving examples of a British-made teapot is crafted from silver, nearly identical in shape to the coffee pots of the period. This teapot, commissioned by George Berkeley for the British East India Company, bears the company’s coat of arms along with an inscription that identifies its purpose. Without such markings, distinguishing a teapot from a coffee pot of that era would have been nearly impossible. Since silver conducts heat, practical handles were fashioned from materials like leather-covered metal, wood, bone, or even ivory.