Don Reitz
American, 1929 - 2014Tea Stack, 2005
On view
Salt-fire ceramic vessel
Dimensions41 3/4 × 24 × 20 in. (106 × 61 × 50.8 cm)
Gift of Dr. Robert and Deanna Harris Burger, 2009.72
This large sculpture may not immediately remind you of tea but the inspiration for its bulbous shape came from one of tea’s most important innovations–the tea bag. Prior to the invention of the tea bag, drinkers would sift loose leaves out of their pot or use a tea infuser. The teabag not only solved the problem of cleanup but it also created an easy way to portion tea leaves for an individual serving. Although there is some debate about who first introduced the tea bag to a wider audience, many give credit to New York tea merchant Thomas Sullivan. In 1908 he began sending tea samples to his customers in small silk pouches that were tied at the top, similar to the shape of this sculpture. They mistakenly used them like a tea infuser and dipped the whole bag into their hot water. This accidental invention led to tea companies all over the world creating teabags for the perfect cup of tea.
