The cube teapot is a teapot whose main purpose was to be used on a ship. The cube shape of the teapot would stabilise it so that it would not roll over and scald the person making the drink, whereas conventional curved teapots would roll over when the ship rocked from side to side.

Invention

The cube teapot was invented by Englishman Robert Crawford Johnson (1882–1937), who was responsible for the design and registered "Cube Teapots Ltd" in 1917. Johnson specified in his patent application that the design could be made in either ceramic or metal. He perfected the design, one that did not drip, poured easily, was chip resistant and stacked together for easy storage. With no spout or projecting handle the cube teapot looked exactly as it sounds - a cube."Teapot"

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...

collections, Museum No. M.934-1983. Date Accessed: 2012/05/04. The cube teapot was first put into production in 1920, in

earthenware Earthenware is glazed or unglazed nonvitreous pottery that has normally been fired below . Basic earthenware, often called terracotta, absorbs liquids such as water. However, earthenware can be made impervious to liquids by coating it with a ce ...

by Arthur Wood of

Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...

, England. It was later licensed to other firms including Wedgwood & Co Ltd. and silversmiths Napper and Davenport of

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

, whose silver version is in the collection of the

Victoria & Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...

. It was also produced by T G Green

Cornishware Cornishware is a striped kitchenware brand trademarked to and manufactured by T.G. Green & Co Ltd. Originally introduced in the 1920s and manufactured in Church Gresley, Derbyshire, it was a huge success for the company and in the succeeding 30 ...

Use

They were used by

Cunard Cunard () is a British shipping and cruise line based at Carnival House at Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. Since 2011, Cunard and its three ships have been registered in Hamilton, Bermu ...

on the liner ''

Queen Elizabeth 2 ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' (''QE2'') is a retired British ocean liner converted into a floating hotel. Originally built for the Cunard Line, the ship, named as the second ship named ''Queen Elizabeth'', was operated by Cunard as both a transatlantic ...

'' until the 1980s and on the Queen Mary. They were also commonly used in

tea shops A teahouse (mainly Asia) or tearoom (also tea room) is an establishment which primarily serves tea and other light refreshments. A tea room may be a room set aside in a hotel especially for serving afternoon tea, or may be an establishment whic ...

because of their robustness.

Recent studies

In 2000, there was a touring exhibition on cube teapots, sponsored by

Twinings Twinings () is a British marketer of tea and other beverages, including coffee, hot chocolate and malt drinks, based in Andover, Hampshire. The brand is owned by Associated British Foods. It holds the world's oldest continually used company logo ...

, at

Merseyside Maritime Museum The Merseyside Maritime Museum is a museum based in the city of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is part of National Museums Liverpool and an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial Heritage. It opened for a trial season in 198 ...

, Liverpool and Leicester's New Walk Museum."No pyramid bags, just cube teapots." Leicester Mercury. (March 9, 2000 ): 270 words. Nexis UK. Web. Date Accessed: 2012/05/03. Anne Anderson wrote a book on the teapots, ''The Cube Teapot'' (Richard Dennis, 1999)."Everything stops for tea BOOKS: A Cube Teapot by Anne Anderson." Western Morning News (Plymouth). (November 13, 1999 ): 358 words. Nexis UK. Web. Date Accessed: 2012/05/03.

References

External links

Myott Collectors Club
{{Teas Teapots Cubes Product design

Invention

Use

Recent studies

See also

References

External links