Yixing

karma
Posts: 160
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2020 2:14 pm
Location: Texas

Wed Apr 08, 2020 1:22 pm

@Mark-S

I know that you *can* get artificially shiny results from simple buffing/polishing the pot, though unless we saw their lighting setup for those photos we couldn't really gauge how shiny that particular pot is.
User avatar
Youzi
Posts: 533
Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2019 1:03 pm
Location: Shaxi, Yunnan, China
Contact:

Wed Apr 08, 2020 1:59 pm

Mark-S wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 12:08 pm
Bok Thanks.

-

I have read multiple times that unseasoned Yixing pots should not be glossy and that the glossyness would come from loads of harmful additives in the clay. However, I recently read in a blog that antiques should indeed be a little glossy (I am not meaning the patina).

Yinchen teapot also sells some very glossy teapots. For example this teapot:

So what's right?
90% of Yixing professional product photos are heavily photoshopped, because it's basically one studio in yixing taking these product photos for everyone.
Mark-S
Posts: 735
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:05 pm
Location: Germany

Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:18 pm

What's your opinion about this article then? It's another blog post about this topic. The genuine R.O.C. Zhuni pot is very glossy even after cleaning.

http://web.archive.org/web/200712181317 ... com/?cat=6 (Mine Have More Tea Stains Than Yours!)
User avatar
OCTO
Posts: 1122
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:25 pm
Location: Penang, Malaysia

Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:31 pm

Mark-S wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 12:08 pm
Bok Thanks.

-

I have read multiple times that unseasoned Yixing pots should not be glossy and that the glossyness would come from loads of harmful additives in the clay. However, I recently read in a blog that antiques should indeed be a little glossy (I am not meaning the patina).

Yinchen teapot also sells some very glossy teapots. For example this teapot:

So what's right?
There is no right or wrong answer in this. Just like any other product catalogue , each product is made to appear appealing to entice you to buy. Hence buying from a reliable source is very important. Not every brand new (virgin) Yixing pot should appear glossy nor should it appear dull. Comparing brand new pots of different decades, we can’t deny that there are new pots that appear buffed or polished straight out from the shelves. Some have a thin layer of wax applied, some are intentionally polished and some finely filtered clay e.g. modern ZhuNi, is so dense, it appears glossy naturally.

So like the old saying goes... don’t judge a teapot by it’s shine... hahahaha...

Cheers!!
User avatar
OCTO
Posts: 1122
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:25 pm
Location: Penang, Malaysia

Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:47 pm

Mark-S wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:18 pm
What's your opinion about this article then? It's another blog post about this topic. The genuine R.O.C. Zhuni pot is very glossy even after cleaning.
It’s very common for ZhuNi of any era to appear glossy after cleaning and a light buff.
Mark-S
Posts: 735
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:05 pm
Location: Germany

Wed Apr 08, 2020 4:08 pm

OCTO wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:47 pm
It’s very common for ZhuNi of any era to appear glossy after cleaning and a light buff.
Zhuni shines more than the other clays? I did not know that. Thanks for the explanation. :)

If anybody here has bought a shiny teapot from Yinchen: Could you please tell me how realistic/natural their pictures on Instagram are? Because maybe I will buy a pot from them in the future.
karma
Posts: 160
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2020 2:14 pm
Location: Texas

Wed Apr 08, 2020 5:13 pm

Youzi wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 1:59 pm
90% of Yixing professional product photos are heavily photoshopped, because it's basically one studio in yixing taking these product photos for everyone.
I'd direct you to my post on color science for a more detailed overview, but I'd also just like to point out that while obviously photoshop can be used to alter the nature of the image in what could be considered a lie, the original image is not necessarily a factual truth. The right lighting would make most yixing pots appear this shiny, and thats almost certainly how they did it here.
karma
Posts: 160
Joined: Fri Feb 28, 2020 2:14 pm
Location: Texas

Wed Apr 08, 2020 5:14 pm

Mark-S wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 4:08 pm
OCTO wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:47 pm
It’s very common for ZhuNi of any era to appear glossy after cleaning and a light buff.
Zhuni shines more than the other clays? I did not know that. Thanks for the explanation. :)

If anybody here has bought a shiny teapot from Yinchen: Could you please tell me how realistic/natural their pictures on Instagram are? Because maybe I will buy a pot from them in the future.
I think you'll quickly discover the source of my skepticism over yinchen: I can find few people who have made purchases.
User avatar
pantry
Posts: 389
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 10:34 am
Location: US East Coast

Wed Apr 08, 2020 6:24 pm

Mark-S wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 4:08 pm
OCTO wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:47 pm
It’s very common for ZhuNi of any era to appear glossy after cleaning and a light buff.
Zhuni shines more than the other clays? I did not know that. Thanks for the explanation. :)

If anybody here has bought a shiny teapot from Yinchen: Could you please tell me how realistic/natural their pictures on Instagram are? Because maybe I will buy a pot from them in the future.
I just got two pots delivered from them last week, but still haven't unboxed due to a variety of reasons. Will update as soon as I get a chance.
They shipped very fast. My other tea mails from China have been stuck in the shipping process for 1 months+ now, but Yinchen's arrived in two weeks!
User avatar
OCTO
Posts: 1122
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:25 pm
Location: Penang, Malaysia

Wed Apr 08, 2020 7:35 pm

Mark-S wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 4:08 pm
OCTO wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:47 pm
It’s very common for ZhuNi of any era to appear glossy after cleaning and a light buff.
Zhuni shines more than the other clays? I did not know that. Thanks for the explanation. :)
As a matter of fact, yes. Any ZhuNi that is done right... will exhibit a shine on the surface. Don't mistaken the shine for a seasoned patina shine. It's completely different. The shine of a virgin ZhuNi pot will appear buffed.... not polished.

IMG_2113.JPG
IMG_2113.JPG (166.9 KiB) Viewed 5075 times
This is a ROC era ZhuNi pot and this photo was taken on the first day of use after it has been deep cleaned and all previous patina removed.

IMG_2112.JPG
IMG_2112.JPG (157.75 KiB) Viewed 5075 times
This is a 90s ZhuNi that has been done very well. Photo taken on the first day before any use. Just washed with water and lightly buffed.


Cheers!
User avatar
OCTO
Posts: 1122
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:25 pm
Location: Penang, Malaysia

Wed Apr 08, 2020 7:42 pm

karma wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 5:13 pm
Youzi wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 1:59 pm
90% of Yixing professional product photos are heavily photoshopped, because it's basically one studio in yixing taking these product photos for everyone.
I'd direct you to my post on color science for a more detailed overview, but I'd also just like to point out that while obviously photoshop can be used to alter the nature of the image in what could be considered a lie, the original image is not necessarily a factual truth. The right lighting would make most yixing pots appear this shiny, and thats almost certainly how they did it here.
Yes. Agree with @karma on the lighting. It also changes the colour substantially. Nothing beats take a photo under natural lighting and not in a studio. But then again, It's always a 50/50 gamble when purchasing a teapot online by relying on photo alone.

my 2 cents.
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5785
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Wed Apr 08, 2020 8:21 pm

OCTO wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 3:31 pm
There is no right or wrong answer in this. Just like any other product catalogue , each product is made to appear appealing to entice you to buy. Hence buying from a reliable source is very important. Not every brand new (virgin) Yixing pot should appear glossy nor should it appear dull. Comparing brand new pots of different decades, we can’t deny that there are new pots that appear buffed or polished straight out from the shelves. Some have a thin layer of wax applied, some are intentionally polished and some finely filtered clay e.g. modern ZhuNi, is so dense, it appears glossy naturally.

So like the old saying goes... don’t judge a teapot by it’s shine... hahahaha...

Cheers!!
+1

If I learned anything since starting to stare into the clay abyss, it is that there are very little certainties and lots of contradictions. Add to that half-truths of half-knowledgeable people spread wide and far over the net, it creates a very confusing thing to wrap one-self's head around...
User avatar
OCTO
Posts: 1122
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:25 pm
Location: Penang, Malaysia

Wed Apr 08, 2020 11:29 pm

More friends came over to play... MCO Day#23...
Attachments
20200409_113407.jpg
20200409_113407.jpg (122.49 KiB) Viewed 5045 times
20200409_121924.jpg
20200409_121924.jpg (122.25 KiB) Viewed 5045 times
carogust
Posts: 102
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2019 2:40 pm
Location: Finland

Thu Apr 09, 2020 12:51 am

@OCTO Can't get over how nice that 90s zhuni looks. Pretty large zhuni pot as well so hard to make and fire. Masterpiece.
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5785
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Thu Apr 09, 2020 12:55 am

Youzi wrote:
Wed Apr 08, 2020 1:59 pm
90% of Yixing professional product photos are heavily photoshopped, because it's basically one studio in yixing taking these product photos for everyone.
that explains a lot... :lol:
Post Reply