Yixing

[Mark-S]

Books are probably your best bet or old catalogs from respectable auction houses.

Ok, I l'll search for more catalogs then. Books are hard to get in the West.

I’d suggest shelling out $2k for an authentic pot from ZAG instead looking for $250 antiques on eBay. Or you could just buy something from Bok.

That's too much for me at the moment, but I will save the money for now.

@Bok

Thanks, I'll be more cautious now.

My best advise to you is to limit your finds to no earlier than the 80s. You will be able to find yourself many good quality clay and pots in that era. You can use Factory pots as a guideline to start off with your journey. As pantry said earlier, a good indicator is the price. To collectors, what is categorised as "Grade A" F1 pots will cost around US$300 - US$400 per pot.

I'll do that. In the next weeks I am going to post some of my presumably F1 pots in the Facebook group. 1 teapot per week... I don't want to overwhelm them. However, I wouldn't pay $300 to $400 for a F1 pot. On rare occasions I'd be willing to spend $250. Most sellers in the West don't distinguish between the clays anyway, and I also would not be able to value the quality. I just buy the clay by the looks of it and how it feels. When I cleaned all my pots and got the answers from Facebook I'll post a collage of different clays in this forum. Maybe someone here can say something about the quality.

What will be a fun adventure is to save up the money and take a trip to Yixing

Maybe I will do this if I visit China some day. Would be interesting.

-

I got a new question for you regarding F1 pots. Did the Chinese differentiate between the different markets when it comes to clay quality and workmanship back then? So would it be wise to look for / avoid export pots to the West?

[Youzi]

Modern pots?? hahaha .... this fella is cute imo...

Accidentally found the original version of your teapot

[Bok]

It's got some tea in it, I'll take a pic once I'm done with this session. sporad I got it from zisha art gallery.

How much was it? If I may ask?

I am curious as well
I want to get an idea on how much to save for haha

Zhuni from that period in good condition will be minimum 2000-4000$

I heard ZAG selling less in demand Zini Biandeng in 40ml for 2000, so...

[Bok]

Also, before someone says “Singapore is expensive” not really, that price for LQER Zhuni is not significantly lower in the surrounding countries, probably a lot higher in China itself.

[Teachronicles]

How much was it? If I may ask?

I am curious as well
I want to get an idea on how much to save for haha

Zhuni from that period in good condition will be minimum 2000-4000$

I heard ZAG selling less in demand Zini Biandeng in 40ml for 2000, so...

@DailyTX it was 2000USD plus shipping. It has chips around the lid skirt which is why it's on the lower end of boks range. Perfect condition id bet itd be closer to $3000

[Bok]

@Mark-S in that price range, under 250, you will have a very hard time finding decent F1 pots... As you said, better save the money for something that’s worth it.

[Bok]

I love that very subtle little edge on the outside belly curve – this is the kind of beautiful detail that you won't find easily on modern Yixing! Chips on lids are really something to be expected, even at a price like this or higher.

I also find it reassuring that there are some people in the West who can appreciate that this kind thing has its price! Many people (Western tea people that is) seem to very taken aback that 100+ y old, frgile tiny works of art, that survived tumultous times and 1000 times of use, can cost a little more than a couple of hundred $...

Of course not a game everyone can(and should) play, but still, no one would expect an Oldtimer car to be cheap

[Mark-S]

Mark-S in that price range, under 250, you will have a very hard time finding decent F1 pots... As you said, better save the money for something that’s worth it.

If it's medium quality clay I am ok with it. For example, this pot from @Chadrinkincat seems perfectly fine in my opinion, and it only costs $150. I got one with a similar style but in better condition and it makes good tea. That's all I am aiming for right now... nothing special / high end.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/402101865289

[Teachronicles]

I love that very subtle little edge on the outside belly curve – this is the kind of beautiful detail that you won't find easily on modern Yixing! Chips on lids are really something to be expected, even at a price like this or higher.

I also find it reassuring that there are some people in the West who can appreciate that this kind thing has its price! Many people (Western tea people that is) seem to very taken aback that 100+ y old, frgile tiny works of art, that survived tumultous times and 1000 times of use, can cost a little more than a couple of hundred $...

Of course not a game everyone can(and should) play, but still, no one would expect an Oldtimer car to be cheap

It's funny, after receiving, handling, and using this pot for a little bit, some of my f1 (pre 77) don't seem as elegant as they did before. Pots from before factory 1 just have a certain charm about them, a heightened level of artistry, and more elegant proportions. Some lqer or earlier pots I've seen are truly works of art in my eyes.

I went through the same thing some other members here are going through. Hoping to get lucky on eBay (very very unlikely). At the end of the day, you'll probably save money just saving up for the real thing rather than trying to get lucky and paying tuition on replicas or fakes. Say you spend $250 on a pot you hope is a needle in the haystack, that's $250 you could have saved for the real thing. Also, take your time with something like this, I've been thinking about and plotting getting an LQER zhuni for over a year now. Just wait till the times right and you have the funds, and find something that you really love.

[Bok]

It's funny, after receiving, handling, and using this pot for a little bit, some of my f1 (pre 77) don't seem as elegant as they did before. Pots from before factory 1 just have a certain charm about them, a heightened level of artistry, and more elegant proportions. Some lqer or earlier pots I've seen are truly works of art in my eyes.

I went through the same thing some other members here are going through. Hoping to get lucky on eBay (very very unlikely). At the end of the day, you'll probably save money just saving up for the real thing rather than trying to get lucky and paying tuition on replicas or fakes. Say you spend $250 on a pot you hope is a needle in the haystack, that's $250 you could have saved for the real thing. Also, take your time with something like this, I've been thinking about and plotting getting an LQER zhuni for over a year now. Just wait till the times right and you have the funds, and find something that you really love.

that is the best strategy!

I had the same thing, my first real dip into higher level of Yixing collecting was a 60s Biandeng, if I put that pot now next to LQER Biandeng it looks like some low quality trash done by an apprentice

[OCTO]

Accidentally found the original version of your teapot

@Youzi

It's good for " Jr grandson" to meet "sr grandpa".... hahahaha..... very nice... Any indication of "grandpa's age??".... very curious to find out....

[Teachronicles]

It's funny, after receiving, handling, and using this pot for a little bit, some of my f1 (pre 77) don't seem as elegant as they did before. Pots from before factory 1 just have a certain charm about them, a heightened level of artistry, and more elegant proportions. Some lqer or earlier pots I've seen are truly works of art in my eyes.

I went through the same thing some other members here are going through. Hoping to get lucky on eBay (very very unlikely). At the end of the day, you'll probably save money just saving up for the real thing rather than trying to get lucky and paying tuition on replicas or fakes. Say you spend $250 on a pot you hope is a needle in the haystack, that's $250 you could have saved for the real thing. Also, take your time with something like this, I've been thinking about and plotting getting an LQER zhuni for over a year now. Just wait till the times right and you have the funds, and find something that you really love.

that is the best strategy!

I had the same thing, my first real dip into higher level of Yixing collecting was a 60s Biandeng, if I put that pot now next to LQER Biandeng it looks like some low quality trash done by an apprentice

Haha idk if I'd go that far, the workmanship of the 60s and 70s is still a big step above later period pots. And they make great tea.

Edit : later period *factory pots

[OCTO]

These names are used to refer to a specific look and feel of the finished teapot and doesn't relate to any specific ore.

My first foray into pre factory antique pots. An LQER zhuni, biandeng like shape, 90ml.

Now, my understanding is that not all zhuni has the famed wrinkles, are the wrinkles one the physical appearance factors in calling something "lao zhuni"?

Welcome back @Teachronicles! It has been a while!.... yeah.... this thread is FLAMING!!... hahahaha.....

Yes, you are correct to say not all Zhuni has wrinkles... but there are groups of serious collectors that uses the wrinkles to set aside the more refined ZhuNi as they would call it. You will find that most if not all ZhuNi pots of early days don't come pure. They are all blended one way or another.

Cheers!

[Teachronicles]

These names are used to refer to a specific look and feel of the finished teapot and doesn't relate to any specific ore.

My first foray into pre factory antique pots. An LQER zhuni, biandeng like shape, 90ml.

Now, my understanding is that not all zhuni has the famed wrinkles, are the wrinkles one the physical appearance factors in calling something "lao zhuni"?

Welcome back Teachronicles! It has been a while!.... yeah.... this thread is FLAMING!!... hahahaha.....

Yes, you are correct to say not all Zhuni has wrinkles... but there are groups of serious collectors that uses the wrinkles to set aside the more refined ZhuNi as they would call it. You will find that most if not all ZhuNi pots of early days don't come pure. They are all blended one way or another.

Cheers!

Is it correct that even zhuni today isn't 100% zhuni? I thought that it needed to be blended atleast a little. The more shihuang the harder it is to successfully fire?

[OCTO]

And OCTO spill the beans, what pot is that lid from

Feeling a little nostalgic today...