Teapots, Coffee Pots & Cream Jugs
During the second half of the 17th century Tea, coffee and chocolate all became popular in England. Although examples of 17th-century coffee and chocolate pots exist, there are almost no teapots found until the early 18th century
Early teapots are small as tea was very expensive until the 1760s. The earliest types are pear-shaped, but in about 1730 the bullet teapot takes over until around1750. Silver teapots are rare between then and around 1770 when the drum-shaped teapot appears, followed by the oval shape that lasted until teapots became oblong in the early 19th century.
The difference between a coffee pot and a chocolate pot is that the latter has a hinged or detachable cap or finial in the lid through which a rod (a molinet) was inserted to stir up the chocolate sediment into a frothy beverage. Projecting flanges, usually pierced, make the lower part resemble a battle mace. Very few molinets survive.

Coffee and chocolate pots are taller than teapots in order to keep the spout above the sediment. The 18th century starts with side handled tapering cylindrical examples with high domed covers until c.1730, chocolate pots are seldom seen after this time. Coffee pots take on a baluster-shape from 1730 until 1800, when they become vase shaped. Like the teapots, they then become oblong, before reverting in the 19th century to mainly baluster styles.

No milk or cream jugs are found before the reign of Queen Anne (1702 - 1714) and they are very rare until the 1720s. Early examples tend to be baluster-shaped, although the octagonal ones are much sought after. The smaller pitcher milk jug endures until around 1730 with a central foot and then on three feet until the 1760s when the central foot returns. Design then passes through the pear and helmet shapes until at the end of the century the cream jug matches the teapot or set.