Lovely Antique English Copper Kettle

Lovely Antique English Copper Kettle


Measures approx 23 high x 25 wide


In good condition for age with the usual patina of a copper item


The widespread use of the copper kettle in Britain started during the Victorian era, when tea became readily and affordably available to the working classes for the first time. Previously, tea was considered something of a luxury, predominantly consumed by the wealthy. And as richer people could afford kettles made of more exotic materials, their kettles tended to be smaller, dainty and ornate items made of silver.

But as the British Empire made greater inroads into Asia in the 19th century, more and more trade routes opened for shipping. This made it easy and profitable for merchants to bring tea back to the UK and sell it to the wider population. However, regular people couldn’t afford silver kettles, and so needed an alternative made of a cheaper material that was also widely available and a good conductor of heat: copper.

As the popularity of copper kettles grew, manufacturers experimented with all sorts of different designs. Previously, what British households termed as ‘kettles’ were larger, almost cauldron-like items that were hung over fires to boil. As a result, many early models followed this philosophy with metal handles that allowed the kettle to be suspended.

But eventually, makers converged on the basic design principles that have made up the vast majority of kettles ever since: non-metallic handles to prevent the user burning his or her hand; a protruding spout to ease pouring; and a wide, flat base to make the kettle stable on a stove-top and help it boil water quicker thanks to a wider surface area in contact with the heat.

Copper kettles, therefore, were a practical success for homes throughout Britain in the late 19th century and well into the 20th century, too. But why has their popularity endured into the 21st?


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