Afternoon tea, properly

Most tea sets are either heirloom-fragile or faintly institutional. This one sits between the two: a traditional flared British shape in fine bone china, deep emerald green, finished with gold detailing painted by hand.

The flared cup isn't decoration. It opens the aroma of the tea and keeps the last mouthful closer to the temperature of the first — which is why the shape has survived a century of fashion.

Made to be used, not displayed

Bone china is thin and light in the hand but considerably stronger than porcelain of the same weight. Held to the light it's faintly translucent; on the table it takes daily use without chipping at the rim the way earthenware does.

Every piece is finished by hand, so the gold work varies very slightly from cup to cup.

What's in the set

Set A - 21 pieces

• 1 teapot
• 1 milk jug
• 1 sugar bowl
• 6 teacups
• 6 saucers
• 6 spoons

Set B - 22 pieces

• Everything in Set A, plus a tiered cake stand

Both arrive in a presentation gift box, which makes this a workable wedding, anniversary or retirement gift without needing to be re-wrapped.

Care

Hand wash in warm water with a soft cloth. Avoid abrasive scourers, and don't put the gold-detailed pieces in the microwave — metallic decoration will spark and the finish will be damaged.

Specification

• Material: fine bone china, hand-finished
• Colour: emerald green with gold detailing
• Serves: 6
• Set A: 21 pieces / Set B: 22 pieces including cake stand
• Teapot capacity: [X]ml
• Teacup capacity: [X]ml
• Supplied in a gift box