This fine looking square tin bears the label, Lipton's, No.1 Quality Tea. Among the earliest food to be packaged was tea. This most traded commodity was usually packed in metal lined wooden crates. Later canisters made of tin plated iron with hand painted information were produced by the 18th century. Soon with mass production of tea , caddies such as this were produced. The more ornate ones began to be also used as gifts. Its functional form also possibly lent itself to serve as a household container once the tea was consumed.
