No other country buys and eats more biscuits than Britain ... There is a biscuit for every occasion: rusks for teething babies, party rings for birthdays, custard creams to dunk in tea, Penguins and Tunnock’s wafers for lunchboxes, water biscuits to eat with cheese. ~ The Guardian

At your service, a Victorian Silverplate Biscuit Box found at market in the north of England. Produced with a hinged lid and shining silver details, including a pretty leafy edge, intricate engraved designs and lavish floral and botanical details, this lovely Biscuit Barrel stands confidently on 4 feet. This is gleaming biscuit barrel will be just the thing to safe-keep your biscuits - of all forms, flavors, and shapes! - in a truly elegant fashion.

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. In very good antique condition. Measures 9.25"D x 6.5"H.

Learn More About Biscuit Barrels & Boxes

Demand for commercially produced biscuits soared in the 19th century, as did the demand for tea and coffee. Along with the large scale manufacturing of biscuits and the popularity of taking afternoon tea with sweets, biscuit boxes and barrels became necessary for storing biscuits and bringing them to the table while taking tea. As biscuits were fragile by nature, these tins, boxes or barrels also provided protection and helped keep biscuits fresher for longer.

The popularity of afternoon tea during the Victorian era increased the demand for highly decorative biscuit boxes, which would take pride of place alongside elegant tea and coffee services. As afternoon tea was often a social event, these serving pieces were an opportunity to display the family's social standing and wealth.