Yixing

[Chadrinkincat]

@Mark-S
I actually kinda like this pot for its wonky rustic feel. What size is it?

I’d be a bit surprised if it was older than early 2000’s though.

[Mark-S]

@Chadrinkincat

The size is 70ml and it has a slow pour (about 20 seconds). Most modern pots are bigger (200ml or more), and the clay looks different. That's why I thought that my pot is at least a bit older. But I have not found a similar pot to compare it with. The clay looks shinier than my Hongni pots, and I do not think it's a patina. I think I have to clean it first.

[Bok]

Chadrinkincat

The size is 70ml and it has a slow pour (about 20 seconds). Most modern pots are bigger (200ml or more), and the clay looks different. That's why I thought that my pot is at least a bit older. But I have not found a similar pot to compare it with. The clay looks shinier than my Hongni pots, and I do not think it's a patina. I think I have to clean it first.

Size or pour is no indication whatsoever of period... shiny makes me think at least past 2000. And additives.

And it might not be Yixing either.

[Mark-S]

@Bok
I do not mean "shoe polish shiny" but it's shinier than my other Hongni pots. I do not know how to describe it better. The clay at least sounds like Hongni, but I could also be wrong about it.

[Mark-S]

That's a quick comparison. Green label Hongni on the left, new teapot on the right. The F1 pot is rather dull in comparison to the new pot. And the new pot is more reddish. But not artificially imho.

[Bok]

Red and shiny, even if not shoe polish is kind of the definition of artificially altered Hongni...

Real Hongni is more like what looks like being dull next to an artificial one

[Youzi]

@Mark-S
@Bok
@Chadrinkincat
I think this video would be eye opening for many here, regarding modern pots.
I like to call this the machine half hand pot:

https://youtu.be/qTroAFWw3m0

Edit: anyone know if it's possible to embed a YouTube video?

[Chadrinkincat]

Bok
I do not mean "shoe polish shiny" but it's shinier than my other Hongni pots. I do not know how to describe it better. The clay at least sounds like Hongni, but I could also be wrong about it.

The carving on your pot is oddly just as shiny and uniform as the rest of the pot which leads me to believe it’s either coated after being carved or just full of additives.

Does hongni have a distinct sound?

[Chadrinkincat]

Mark-S
Bok
Chadrinkincat
I think this video would be eye opening for many here, regarding modern pots.
I like to call this the machine half hand pot:

https://youtu.be/qTroAFWw3m0

Edit: anyone know if it's possible to embed a YouTube video?

Thanks for sharing this! Interesting to see how people are making pots these days

[Mark-S]

The carving on your pot is oddly just as shiny and uniform as the rest of the pot which leads me to believe it’s either coated after being carved or just full of additives.

Does hongni have a distinct sound?

The pictures look a bit different because of the lighting. I think I will clean the teapot properly and take a new picture in a photo box with uniform lighting.

Yeah, at least I think so. I know that the sound depends on the firing, the size and the iron ratio, but I also think that the different clays have different sounds. It is hard to explain but my Zini teapots for example have a deeper (sometimes hollow) sound. My Hongni teapots sound more clear and not hollow. I do not own one, but I have heard that Zhuni teapots have a very clear sound. And the sound of some of my fake clay teapots is very hollow. However, I also know that the sound can be faked. Nearly all of my newer pots have a clear sound.

[DailyTX]

Hi All,
I own some F1 hongni pots, some modern zhuni pots, I wonder if anyone can share their knowledge on identifying good clay quality of hongni or zhuni pots. This maybe a super complex question due to clay process methods vary from different period. So the question is what do you look for in a hongni/zhuni pot?

[Youzi]

Hi All,
I own some F1 hongni pots, some modern zhuni pots, I wonder if anyone can share their knowledge on identifying good clay quality of hongni or zhuni pots. This maybe a super complex question due to clay process methods vary from different period. So the question is what do you look for in a hongni/zhuni pot?

Something that I look for in every Yixing teapot, and which seems to be a major indicator if the pot is good or not, or if its a real yixing, or not, is the ability to cultivate the teapot aka, natural patina development, smoothening of the outer surface, natural darkening of the clay.

And tricks don't count here, such as:

• cooking the pot in a tea soup

• painting the pot with concentrated tea paste

• showering the outer layer of the pot, with tea

• Rubbing the surface of the pot with polishing clothes, etc.

[Bok]

Good list @Youzi but one has to own the pot to find these out

[Mark-S]

Good list Youzi but one has to own the pot to find these out

Yeah, and it takes a lot of time

[Youzi]

Good list Youzi but one has to own the pot to find these out

Yeah, and it takes a lot of time

There should be noticable differences in 1-2 months maximum. If not, then the clay is not well processed or not well fired.

@Bok true, that's why you should buy from the same potter, when you found a clay which behaves well and to your expectations.

I took the freedom to assume the OP didn't mean, "when buying online".