This three-piece silver tea service, comprising a teapot, a milk jug and a rinse bowl, was made in The Hague in 1764 by Isaac Samuel Busard. It is exceptionally rare for such a silver tea service from the eighteenth century to have survived intact. The name Busard became synonymous with heavy, high-quality silver objects. He possessed a refined sense of ornament and proportion, and his work displays an exceptional balance of design and execution. This set is a wonderful example of that.

The Rise of Tea in the Netherlands

Tea was first brought to the Netherlands in 1605. Initially it was recommended by physicians, among them Professor Nicolaas Tulp, for its supposed medicinal properties. It soon developed into a popular luxury, and by the late seventeenth century the drinking of tea had become a fashionable indulgence — particularly among the elite. They soon had luxury items made from silver that could be used when drinking tea.

During the eighteenth century, tea was imported in a variety of grades and thus became accessible to a wider public. Tea drinking evolved into an important social ritual, especially for ladies of the upper classes: the tea visit became the occasion to meet and converse. Distinction could be shown not only by serving the finest teas, but also by using costly tea wares of Oriental porcelain or silver. The first silver tea caddies and teapots appeared in the Netherlands at the end of the 17th century. Extremely luxury sets like this elegant example by Busard appeared around mid 18th century.

Isaac Samuel Busard

The Hague silversmith Isaac Samuel Busard was born around 1706 and married Anna-Antoinette Trouillé on 22 June 1749. He died on 11 February 1784 at the age of seventy-eight. Busard lived successively on the Fluwelen Burgwal, the Kalvermarkt and the Korte Poten in The Hague.
In 1731 he was admitted as a master to the Hague guild of silversmiths. Busard ranked among the foremost silversmiths of his time. In addition to his work as a craftsman, he was active as a kashouder — a dealer who sold not only his own creations but also those of fellow masters.