Teapot for essences

The teapot was made in a manufactory which was the first in Poland to produce porcelain, starting from 1790. It was founded in 1783 by Józef Klemens Czartoryski in his estate in Korzec in Volhynia. He entrusted its management to Franciszek Mezer, who was brought from France. The manufactory introduced various forms and decorations of dishes according to the changes in style and the taste of buyers. In the years 1810-1815 painted imitations of other materials appeared on the surface of the vessels: wood, tortoiseshell, and, as in this case, marble.

Tea is nowadays a common and everyday drink in Poland, it is drunk for its own sake and as a supplement to a meal. It came to Poland in the 17th century and at first was treated as a medicine. Hence its Polish name (herbata), derived from Latin, where herba means herb. At the beginning of the 18th century, the rector of the Zamość Academy, Fr. T. Ormiński, wrote that “it helps weak stomachs and protects from lethargy, serves against gout and kidney stones”. At that time it was green tea, black tea appeared later and it became more popular. The custom of drinking tea became popular in Poland in the 1820s. The drink started to be served during social gatherings and that is why tea sets had elegant forms. They were made of noble materials, of which porcelain turned out to be the best. Porcelain cups were used for drinking tea, and the ready drink was served to the table in teapots. At the same time, a second way of serving tea appeared. There was a small teapot with the essence of tea on the table, accompanied by a so-called buliera, which was a kind of hot water kettle with a heater that kept the temperature high.

Barbara Czajkowska