Tea Caddy Lights
Our tea caddy range was originally inspired by some beautifully decorated early examples our original owner had in their drawing room. Some of our earliest examples are based on those original Chinoiserie decorated pieces.
Initially working out of an old Spitfire components workshop, Besselink & Jones would expertly make decorative treasures for more than 60 years. Now, based in West London, they manufacture and restore decorative lighting — from delicate antiques to heavy chandeliers.
They’ve been producing fine English lighting since 1959 using contrasting and complementary skills, bound by a desire to create exquisite lighting of the highest calibre.
Besselink & Jones supply prestigious projects around the world including Royal Palaces, Hotels, Clubs and beautiful homes.
“To understand the design of our tea caddy’s we looked back to see how they started and the multitudes of influences they had had. Then we looked to the now and see what would work with our spaces, whether it’s in a home, a hotel or restaurant. Then we look to the future, with a design that will stand the tests of time and be something the owner would love to keep and become an heirloom.”
As we have expanded our range, we been influenced Chinese and Indian art, representing the origin of our much-loved tea. Our Chinoiserie is characterised by several frequently occurring motifs — fantastic landscapes with fanciful pavilions, sweeping lines of Chinese pagodas roofs, plus fabulous birds, and figures in Chinese clothes.
Indian art shows a respect for peoples’ beliefs plus landscape and nature, as depicted by the works of 18th and 19th century East India Company artists. Their styles blend beautifully with European natural history illustrations, but with the flora and fauna of India as their subjects.
“We have a selection of pieces which represents all things English to illustrate the love of tea throughout history, from the early examples of King Charles II through to what we see as afternoon tea popularised by the Duchess of Bedford in 1840.”
Together with the fragrant leaf came the respect for this drink and the ceremonial way in which it was to be prepared and drunk. Tea was pivotal in the history of Britain in the late 18th and 19th centuries. At the time of its introduction, tea was believed to be therapeutic as well as delicious. The health benefits of tea were known in the East for thousands of years. In England people accorded it time and space and this alone must have had the effect of producing a sense of wellbeing. At first the drink was enjoyed in the established coffee houses frequented by intellectuals and the men of the world.
“Our hand painted pieces express the joy of colour and style from those early days through to the happiness it is still brings to so many people. Our tea clipper designs highlight the competitive race to reach America for the best price back in the 1860’s and finally our Napoleonic soldiers show how much other nations enjoy tea nearly as much as we do. See here, warm and vibrant colours are used on our tea caddy’s to express the joy that afternoon tea can bring.”
We have been producing fine English lighting since 1959 using contrasting and complementary skills, bound by a desire to create exquisite lighting of the highest calibre.
As we have expanded our range we have brought through influences from Chinese and Indian art to represent the origin of much of our tea. Some of our designs illustrate the British love of tea throughout history for example we have tea clipper designs which highlight the importance of getting tea to the Americas as quickly as possible and our Napoleonic soldiers show how much other nations enjoy tea nearly as much as we do.
