Tea caddy, from a tea service

The most complete Revere service known, this set was made for a Boston merchant and his wife, John and Mehitable Templeman. It includes one of only two tea caddies made by Revere. The locked boxes held loose tea, an expensive and fashionable commodity. The shell-shaped spoon was used for measuring tea and the sieve was used for straining punch, a beverage often served along with tea. The second stand may have been used as a tray for spoons no longer in use. The accompanying teaspoons and tablespoons have only recently been reunited with this service.