Duanni clay - underrated clay?
- tingjunkie
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I've had green oolongs made in this very teapot. Can confirm vintage duanni is pretty fantastic and does not have to be very muting.
http://theteagallery.blogspot.com/2011/ ... yalty.html
http://theteagallery.blogspot.com/2011/ ... yalty.html
Wow, Beautiful puffy pot(s). Was the body of the duanni teapot you used also fairly thin?tingjunkie wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 3:22 amI've had green oolongs made in this very teapot. Can confirm vintage duanni is pretty fantastic and does not have to be very muting.
http://theteagallery.blogspot.com/2011/ ... yalty.html
Pretty pots! I imagine you had side by side comparison with a gaiwan? Interestingtingjunkie wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 3:22 amI've had green oolongs made in this very teapot. Can confirm vintage duanni is pretty fantastic and does not have to be very muting.
http://theteagallery.blogspot.com/2011/ ... yalty.html

I have encountered old duanni that wasn't very muting, but it looked a bit different from that one... I would expect that one to be muting, but who knows. It looks heavily used, so it might have to do with that. It would be interesting to have a blind comparison, placebo effect is powerful. If they served me tea in a Shi Dabin I am sure I'd think it's amazing regardless of how it comes out

- tingjunkie
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:39 pm
- tingjunkie
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:39 pm
No side by side, and the session was many years ago, but I just remember being shocked at how the pot handled a green TGY. It left a whole lot in the upper notes and aromas.steanze wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 9:13 pmPretty pots! I imagine you had side by side comparison with a gaiwan? Interesting
I have encountered old duanni that wasn't very muting, but it looked a bit different from that one... I would expect that one to be muting, but who knows. It looks heavily used, so it might have to do with that. It would be interesting to have a blind comparison, placebo effect is powerful. If they served me tea in a Shi Dabin I am sure I'd think it's amazing regardless of how it comes out![]()
Great!tingjunkie wrote: ↑Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:35 am
No side by side, and the session was many years ago, but I just remember being shocked at how the pot handled a green TGY. It left a whole lot in the upper notes and aromas.
Better be amazing! These pots probably cost an arm and a leg at least!
I do have a dislike for standard shuiping shapes, but the ones from ROC and earlier are beautiful!
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Have had a lot of success with this pot after cleaning. Believe it to be reduction fired Duanni from sometime LQER. No sign of muting my teas, smoothens out any real rough bits. Mostly used for mid-aged sheng but has made great cups of shou and aged Sheng/humid stored sheng as well. Needs more testing though.
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Nice pot! Be careful with the hairlines... This pot design almost always has some on the rim. I believe I can spot on yours as well.
I also like them for aged oolong. In general any tea that do with a little smoothing out harder edges. Hongcha from the Assam kind also comes to mind.
I also like them for aged oolong. In general any tea that do with a little smoothing out harder edges. Hongcha from the Assam kind also comes to mind.
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Dang Bok! You got some good eyes haha. There was indeed a hairline crack on the lid when I received this. Currently it’s in Nissans hands awaiting a staple repair. I don’t have much in the ways of aged oolong currently, but I can imagine it’ll go swimmingly in the pot as well. Will have to give a it a go when the lid is returned.Bok wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 2:47 amNice pot! Be careful with the hairlines... This pot design almost always has some on the rim. I believe I can spot on yours as well.
I also like them for aged oolong. In general any tea that do with a little smoothing out harder edges. Hongcha from the Assam kind also comes to mind.
Escentually wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 6:32 amDang Bok! You got some good eyes haha. There was indeed a hairline crack on the lid when I received this.

On the rim of the body as well, no? Might have disappeared a bit after cleaning it, but should be noticeable when the pot is wet. Most don't become any worse in my experience. It is that barrel shape without rim that almost automatically generates some at some point it seems to me. Especially on these lower grade items.
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Noooooo!!! I’m going to pretend I didn’t read thatBok wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:13 amEscentually wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 6:32 amDang Bok! You got some good eyes haha. There was indeed a hairline crack on the lid when I received this.![]()
On the rim of the body as well, no? Might have disappeared a bit after cleaning it, but should be noticeable when the pot is wet. Most don't become any worse in my experience. It is that barrel shape without rim that almost automatically generates some at some point it seems to me. Especially on these lower grade items.

When you say barrel shape without a rim, do you happen to have an example of one with a rim? I imagine it as the lip under the lid, but I don’t think you’re referring to that.
When saying low grade item, would you be referring to this piece being more of a commoner pot back in the day? Thank you for all the info

Yes, these types of Julunzhu were mostly commoner grade quality for export to Japan. Some are made with more care, but mostly the finish is rough.
Wouldn’t worry about the hairline, I never bother to get mine secured, using them all the time and they did not part in two. If, one staple on top is enough to prevent more damage.
Picture is classic JLZ with rim. Also a good example of a higher quality item, 40ml and with clean finishes inside out.
Wouldn’t worry about the hairline, I never bother to get mine secured, using them all the time and they did not part in two. If, one staple on top is enough to prevent more damage.
Picture is classic JLZ with rim. Also a good example of a higher quality item, 40ml and with clean finishes inside out.
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I can see some quirks in the craftsmanship with mine for sure, especially with calligraphy placement.Bok wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 3:27 pmYes, these types of Julunzhu were mostly commoner grade quality for export to Japan. Some are made with more care, but mostly the finish is rough.
Wouldn’t worry about the hairline, I never bother to get mine secured, using them all the time and they did not part in two. If, one staple on top is enough to prevent more damage.
Picture is classic JLZ with rim. Also a good example of a higher quality item, 40ml and with clean finishes inside out.
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I’ll have to see how it behaves over time then, not in a rush one way or another. Hopefully it doesn’t spread if there is one, but if so I think a staple on the body would look quite lovely as well.
That is a stunning example! Thank you for sharing. I see what you both with the rim and the quality of the finishing. Very big fan of the texture of it as well. Do you find yourself reaching for a small pot like that frequently? I have been told that size isn’t too convenient for sheng, which is primarily what I’m drinking these days.
Modern duan ni - rough to the touch. Excellent with green.
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