Yixing

[mafoofan]

mafoofan I was speaking generally, if you already got enough basic knowledge on Yixing, then by all means it’s a good idea to go for something better. I’m all in for less but better

Especially beginners tend to buy rubbish by the dozen, when for the same overall money they could have bought something really good!

Just be cautious, high value Yixing is full of trapdoors, especially if buying online...

Thank you for the advice. I am indeed trying to be as cautious as possible. But flying to Asia to see and try teapots in person, as some have suggested, is not in the cards, leaving me no choice but to take some measured risk.

That’s why I’m trying to focus on finding studios that people seem to trust and sourcing from them.

What’s your opinion of Chen Ju Feng / Wuxing Shan Fang studio and the pot I selected?

How about Xu Yue Feng? He’s not a certified artisan but I’ve heard he is well-known for the quality of his work with zhuni / da hong pao.

My priorities are: (1) best clay possible and (2) fully handmade to a nice/admirable standard. I am not looking to spend thousands on a ranked artist yet. But I’ll pay what I need to for the other two things. Don’t want to save money and not hit at least those targets.

[Bok]

@mafoofan I do know little about modern Yixing. If I had 1000$ to spend I’d rather buy an antique...

They fit at least one criteria of yours for sure fully handmade! Clay can be of varying quality, but at least no chemical and other additives.

As it seems that you are looking for one pot to last, I suggest not to forget one important part of your equation: the tea! The tea you will most likely prepare with it should be considered, which clay (theoretically) would enhance it, thinness of the walls, volume, shape. All the niceness of a master made teapot will be worth nothing if the tea doesn’t taste good.

[steanze]

To be sure I just double-checked with some collector friends. There definitely were Zhuni from the 60-70s.

mm I am a bit skeptical of this claim. If Dr Lv said it, I'll believe it, but otherwise I am not so sure... Lao zhuni no longer exists after ROC, processing methods are different. In 60s and 70s all of yixing production is within F1, and F1 did not make zhuni. I may be wrong, but it would take a LOT of convincing to get me to believe in 60s - 70s zhuni

[Bok]

Just checked the book, the Zhuni in there date from the 1930-50s. Gonna ask him when I get the chance about later ones.

[Chadrinkincat]

Just checked the book, the Zhuni in there date from the 1930-50s. Gonna ask him when I get the chance about later ones.

Dr. Lu’s response to someone asking about zhuni in 60-70’s

[Bok]

I also just a got a fresh reply from Dr Lu: according to him, no Zhuni in the totality of the existence of F1.

In the late 80s, Taiwanese collectors had made Zhuni in Yixing, but outside of Factory 1.

So now I have opposing views from other collectors I know. Sometimes in notice certain disagreements between Taiwanese and collectors from other Asian regions.

In any case, if I ever find a Zhuni with older looking workmanship I’d rather it be 30-50s than 60-70s

[Youzi]

Making Zhuni pots doesn't really suit the mindset of F1.
Most of the Zhuni they mined were just tossed aside and kept unused for a long time, which were sold off between the 90-00's to potters and processors, like most of rest of the F1 raw ore storage.

That's why most of the real zhuni on the modern market is HLS Zhuni, because there's a lot left of it from F1 era, as opposed to HLS Hongni, which has been "eaten up".

Zhuni has low yield and a narrow firing range, Which goes agains what F1 was trying to achieve.

[Mark-S]

I have found some modern pots (medium-size Xishis) I really like in a local store. The seller claims that the clay is Zini, Hongni, Benshan Lvni and Zhuni, and that the pots were made under the guidance of a craftswoman with the fourth highest rank (I guess that's not very high). The price is $90 per teapot (in Germany). What do you think of the price? Is it too cheap to be good? I am not familiar with the prices for modern pots.

[Chadrinkincat]

I have found some modern pots (medium-size Xishis) I really like in a local store. The seller claims that the clay is Zini, Hongni, Benshan Lvni and Zhuni, and that the pots were made under the guidance of a craftswoman with the fourth highest rank (I guess that's not very high). The price is $90 per teapot (in Germany). What do you think of the price? Is it too cheap to be good? I am not familiar with the prices for modern pots.

Far too cheap imho. Once you account for brick and mortar mark up, this pot is $40-50 max from online shops (China).

[Youzi]

I have found some modern pots (medium-size Xishis) I really like in a local store. The seller claims that the clay is Zini, Hongni, Benshan Lvni and Zhuni, and that the pots were made under the guidance of a craftswoman with the fourth highest rank (I guess that's not very high). The price is $90 per teapot (in Germany). What do you think of the price? Is it too cheap to be good? I am not familiar with the prices for modern pots.

What does it mean the clay is: Zini, Hongni, Lüni, Zhuni?
What is 4th highest rank? Does he mean Rank 4, or rank 1-2, depending on how we count?
Under the Guidance? of a 4th Highest rank Craftswoman? So basically it's not made by her, but she oversee someone making it?

Was the seller this ambiguous, or is this your interpretation of what he meant?

Sounds to me the seller have no clues what he's even remotely talking about. What's the name of the craftswoman? If he gives it to you, you can validate it from my article.

90$ only viable if you buy directly from yixing, from the studio, and then there's not much profit on that price neither.

[Chadrinkincat]

I have found some modern pots (medium-size Xishis) I really like in a local store. The seller claims that the clay is Zini, Hongni, Benshan Lvni and Zhuni, and that the pots were made under the guidance of a craftswoman with the fourth highest rank (I guess that's not very high). The price is $90 per teapot (in Germany). What do you think of the price? Is it too cheap to be good? I am not familiar with the prices for modern pots.

Far too cheap imho. Once you account for brick and mortar mark up, this pot is $40-50 max from online shops (China).

Something along these lines. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 3485165877

[Chadrinkincat]

Making Zhuni pots doesn't really suit the mindset of F1.
Most of the Zhuni they mined were just tossed aside and kept unused for a long time, which were sold off between the 90-00's to potters and processors, like most of rest of the F1 raw ore storage.

That's why most of the real zhuni on the modern market is HLS Zhuni, because there's a lot left of it from F1 era, as opposed to HLS Hongni, which has been "eaten up".

Zhuni has low yield and a narrow firing range, Which goes agains what F1 was trying to achieve.

I’m guessing very few would survive firing and the ones that did would likely have serious warping/firing cracks.

[Mark-S]

What does it mean the clay is: Zini, Hongni, Lüni, Zhuni?
What is 4th highest rank? Does he mean Rank 4, or rank 1-2, depending on how we count?
Under the Guidance? of a 4th Highest rank Craftswoman? So basically it's not made by her, but she oversee someone making it?

Was the seller this ambiguous, or is this your interpretation of what he meant?

Sounds to me the seller have no clues what he's even remotely talking about. What's the name of the craftswoman? If he gives it to you, you can validate it from my article.

90$ only viable if you buy directly from yixing, from the studio, and then there's not much profit on that price neither.

They sell four teapots for $90 each. And the teapots are made from these clays.

"What is 4th highest rank?" If you count from the top. I can't remember the name of the rank.

Yes, she did not make the pots herself.

I am talking about the four teapots from the top: https://www.teekenner.de/yixing/

Her name is Yan Liping (严丽平).

[Youzi]

What does it mean the clay is: Zini, Hongni, Lüni, Zhuni?
What is 4th highest rank? Does he mean Rank 4, or rank 1-2, depending on how we count?
Under the Guidance? of a 4th Highest rank Craftswoman? So basically it's not made by her, but she oversee someone making it?

Was the seller this ambiguous, or is this your interpretation of what he meant?

Sounds to me the seller have no clues what he's even remotely talking about. What's the name of the craftswoman? If he gives it to you, you can validate it from my article.

90$ only viable if you buy directly from yixing, from the studio, and then there's not much profit on that price neither.

They sell four teapots for $90 each. And the teapots are made from these clays.

"What is 4th highest rank?" If you count from the top. I can't remember the name of the rank.

Yes, she did not make the pots herself.

I am talking about the four teapots from the top: https://www.teekenner.de/yixing/

Her name is Yan Liping (严丽平).

Ah, I thought he meant all those clays mixed together, so I was really surprised.
严丽平 is actually rank 2, so that's correct. However the price is too low, the material cannot be Benshan. "Maybe" the Zini, but Lüni, and Hongni is impossible. Lüni, is more rare than zhuni... Most of Benshan Hongni was used up during F1 era. Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable buying those, or recommend them. Maybe in real life they are more nice.

[Mark-S]

@Youzi
@Chadrinkincat

Okay, I was asking because the same pots are sold on eBay right now, and I do not have a Zhuni or Benshan Lvni teapot yet. Maybe they will be sold for very little money. But if the original seller is lying about the material, I will better take a pass on these. Thanks a lot.