This elegant inlaid box served both a decorative and functional purpose. Is has two inner compartments which would have been used to hold tea and could be locked for security. The Marshalls would have used caddies such as this one when entertaining other elite Richmonders in their home. Tea drinking was extremely popular in Virginia during the late 18th and early 19th centuries and was often a symbol of one's social status because it required the ownership of elaborate and sometimes expensive equipment. This included specialized tables, pots, pitchers, bowls, cups, saucers, tongs, spoons, stands, and boxes.