Time for tea: take a break and buy a tea set at auction

There are all shapes and sizes on offer when it comes to vintage and antique tea sets. Here is a selection of five lots coming up at auction.

Spode breakfast service

This Copeland Spode Primrose tea set is estimated at £350-500 at Hartleys on March 16.

A Copeland Spode Primrose service from the early 20th century includes 12 tea plates, six coffee cups, nine saucers, seven breakfast cups and saucers, sucrier, milk jug, six egg cups, muffin dish and cover. The group is estimated at £350-500 at Hartleys on March 16.

Midwinter tea set

A Midwinter Monaco tea set estimated at £150-250 at Woolley & Wallis on March 16-17.

This Monaco tea set by the firm Midwinter was designed by Jessie Tait (1928-2010) who was chief designer of Midwinter Pottery. It comprises a coffee pot and cover, milk-jug and sugar basin, six cups and saucers. It is offered with an estimate of £150-250 on March 16-17 at Woolley & Wallis.

Royal Winton chintz

A group of Royal Winton chintz tea sets estimated at £80-120 Rogers Jones on March 15.

A group of Royal Winton chintz tea sets featuring the Julia, Hazel and Caernarfon Sweet Pea decorations. The lot comprises 38 pieces across the range.

A group of Royal Winton chintz tea sets estimated at £80-120 Rogers Jones on March 15.

Clarice Cliff

This Clarice Cliff tea set is estimated at £1200-1500 at Fieldings on March 17-18.

A selection of tea sets are not complete without an example from Clarice Cliff. Cliff (1899-1972) was famous for her brightly coloured Art Deco style designs at the factory’s Newport Pottery and AJ Wilkinson. In Fieldings upcoming sale is this tea for six set c.1928/29 with a mix of shapes. It was given as a wedding present in c.1929 and has not been on the open market for sale in over 90 years. It has an estimate of £1200-1500 on March 17-18.

Fabergé tea service

A Fabergé tea and coffee service guided at £15,000-25,000 at Tennants’ on March 19.

For something very high end try this Fabergé tea and coffee service guided at £15,000-25,000. The service, which comprises coffee pot, teapot, sugar bowl, cream jug and tray, is decorated with Cyrillic initials below a coronet and the Imperial Warrant and was made by workmaster Stefan Wäkevä, c.1890, in the St Petersburg workshop. It is offer in Tennants’ Fine Jewellery, Watches and Silver Sale on March 19.