Yixing

User avatar
wave_code
Posts: 577
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2018 2:10 pm
Location: Germany

Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:27 pm

Is there reason for concern for any of the colors in Fang Yuan period pots, or are there colors/time periods of those that would also be good to avoid for actual drinking?
Mark-S
Posts: 735
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:05 pm
Location: Germany

Wed Mar 24, 2021 6:03 pm

wave_code wrote:
Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:27 pm
Is there reason for concern for any of the colors in Fang Yuan period pots, or are there colors/time periods of those that would also be good to avoid for actual drinking?
I have read on Facebook that you should not drink from blue pots because they used many additives for this color. Maybe the others know more about this. :?
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5785
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:46 pm

@bliss you got that one wrong, 60s should not have any mica spots at all. It’s a dead sure give away to be from another period of it has.

@Mark-S Dr Lu has a whole box of these blue and green pots which he says he doesn’t use due to additives. I know other seasoned collectors who own a lot and use them as well...

If you really think about it, then most of the thing in your average super market are much more likely to be the cause of your early death than micro additives which may or may not rub off the clay and may or may not have negative consequences on your health. It seems to be that there is a tendency of Western tea circles to obsess over largely irrelevant things, maybe because they are the little part of the available Yixing market they do actually have some sort of control over?

Is there even any scientific evidence of harmfulness for these additive clays???

In my opinion worrying a out sugar and processed food intake is a much better use of time and ultimately health benefits... worry about barium while munching down on a antibiotic and steroid doped pork sandwich??? You get my drift.

To be fair I used to mention additives and such in the past, before actually start to use some rational thinking instead of blindly repeating what I heard.
User avatar
Youzi
Posts: 533
Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2019 1:03 pm
Location: Shaxi, Yunnan, China
Contact:

Thu Mar 25, 2021 2:24 am

Bok wrote:
Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:46 pm
bliss you got that one wrong, 60s should not have any mica spots at all. It’s a dead sure give away to be from another period of it has.

Mark-S Dr Lu has a whole box of these blue and green pots which he says he doesn’t use due to additives. I know other seasoned collectors who own a lot and use them as well...

If you really think about it, then most of the thing in your average super market are much more likely to be the cause of your early death than micro additives which may or may not rub off the clay and may or may not have negative consequences on your health. It seems to be that there is a tendency of Western tea circles to obsess over largely irrelevant things, maybe because they are the little part of the available Yixing market they do actually have some sort of control over?

Is there even any scientific evidence of harmfulness for these additive clays???

In my opinion worrying a out sugar and processed food intake is a much better use of time and ultimately health benefits... worry about barium while munching down on a antibiotic and steroid doped pork sandwich??? You get my drift.

To be fair I used to mention additives and such in the past, before actually start to use some rational thinking instead of blindly repeating what I heard.
+1

I wouldn't stress too much about the negative health effects unless it has literally Cadmium and Lead in the pot, which is quite rare, because those two are much more looked after and regulated in China.

What I'd worry about if these any negative effect on the taste of the tea, the teapot makes.

So if you find, that the teapot makes good tea, then it's good. If not and you think it's because of the additives, then it isn't.
User avatar
wave_code
Posts: 577
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2018 2:10 pm
Location: Germany

Thu Mar 25, 2021 3:28 am

good points. theres the chance that drinking out of a non-BPA free water bottle for years could be far more harmful than any particular teapot would be. of course if we can control it we want to but there its quite probable that the amount of microplastic we unkowingly ingest or heavy particles that get into our body just by inhaling modern city traffic air on a hot day if much higher. at least lead isn't hard to test for in higher concentration. also to keep in mind a pot can make tea taste bad and not necessarily be bad for your health. I suppose I should rephrase that a bit in asking more if colored Fang Yuan period pots should be avoided not specifically because of health risks but also was there a significant change in the quality of the clay in order to accommodate coloring at the cost of good clay? Perhaps thats also too hard to say given that 80s clay will be totally different from 70s clay, from 60s, so on.
User avatar
bliss
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:31 pm
Location: Brighton, UK

Thu Mar 25, 2021 3:35 am

Bok wrote:
Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:46 pm
bliss you got that one wrong, 60s should not have any mica spots at all. It’s a dead sure give away to be from another period of it has.
Super interesting, thanks Bok!

The following two images are from two different sources claiming the clay to be hongni from around the 60s. I will remain silent on where I got the images from, so as not to start a flame war.

Now I'm wondering, does that mean what I'm seeing in these pictures is not mica? Or does it look like mica to others, implying a different provenance than 60s yixing?

In the first picture, I guess it could be wear that shows the inside of some particles that usually just add to the pear-skin like effect? I've seen such things around the lid rim on pots where there may have been sanding or just natural wear.
v1-3.jpeg
v1-3.jpeg (14.33 KiB) Viewed 3398 times
v2-1.jpeg
v2-1.jpeg (17.32 KiB) Viewed 3398 times
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5785
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Thu Mar 25, 2021 3:56 am

@wave_code if I’ve learned one thing about Yixing, it is that there are no definite answers for any of these questions... any period produced good and bad pots, the individual pot will tell. I’d advise to buy what you like and can afford.
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5785
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:28 am

@bliss not 60- or 70s.

So either modern fake, which is likely if it’s otherwise the right shape, or later factory.
Andrew S
Posts: 711
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2021 8:53 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Thu Mar 25, 2021 7:01 am

While we're on the topic of 60s hong ni... fake, real, or unclear?

Sorry to subject you to a test, @Bok, and likewise to anyone else who responds...

It's mine, so I can take more photos in better light if it assists.

I'll try not to t subject people here to too many more tests like this... Only one more test after this one. Apologies in advance...

Andrew
Attachments
_MG_7103.jpg
_MG_7103.jpg (285.58 KiB) Viewed 3378 times
User avatar
OCTO
Posts: 1123
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:25 pm
Location: Penang, Malaysia

Thu Mar 25, 2021 8:09 am

Andrew S wrote:
Thu Mar 25, 2021 7:01 am
While we're on the topic of 60s hong ni... fake, real, or unclear?

Sorry to subject you to a test, Bok, and likewise to anyone else who responds...

It's mine, so I can take more photos in better light if it assists.

I'll try not to t subject people here to too many more tests like this... Only one more test after this one. Apologies in advance...

Andrew
Image
Can you share more photos of the entire pot and also the inside and under the lid.

Thx and cheers!!
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5785
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:02 am

Ditto @Andrew S the seal is of the least concern when looking to authenticate a teapot. Whole front view, lid and body inside, that’s what you really need.
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5785
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:05 am

@Andrew S btw test of what? If we know something? Then I’d politely tell you to F off. :lol:
Andrew S
Posts: 711
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2021 8:53 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:26 am

@OCTO and @Bok: thank you very much; better photos to follow.

Unfortunately I need to wait until the Sun rises all the way down here. However, if my sleep patterns degrade any further, I might try to invest in some good lighting instead.

I'm afraid that I'm just a little self-conscious about 'demanding' requests like this from people like you. I have nothing to offer you in exchange for your kindness, unless you get stranded in Sydney one day.

I'll make sure to post plenty of photos about my other 'mystery' pot in due course... And after that, I'll try to control myself.

Actually, I'm mostly just curious about anything you can say about this pot. I have limited experience with hong ni, so I'm grateful to learn anything that you can offer. The other mystery pot is the one I'm more curious about, but I'll take those photos later...

And @Bok: I'm glad that you can tolerate my dry humour. Thankfully I'm not actually testing anyone against some 'verified' authentication that I'm going to pull out from someone else, regardless of how fun that might be. However, if you do ever tell me to F off, then I hope that the admins read this post first, and realise that that's simply how people in Australia talk to each other.

Andrew
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5785
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:32 am

@Andrew S no worries mate, I’m familiar with the concept. Must be the colonial heritage from the old fellas from the old continent :)
User avatar
steanze
Vendor
Posts: 985
Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2017 4:17 pm
Location: USA

Thu Mar 25, 2021 2:15 pm

bliss wrote:
Thu Mar 25, 2021 3:35 am
Bok wrote:
Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:46 pm
bliss you got that one wrong, 60s should not have any mica spots at all. It’s a dead sure give away to be from another period of it has.
Super interesting, thanks Bok!

The following two images are from two different sources claiming the clay to be hongni from around the 60s. I will remain silent on where I got the images from, so as not to start a flame war.

Now I'm wondering, does that mean what I'm seeing in these pictures is not mica? Or does it look like mica to others, implying a different provenance than 60s yixing?

In the first picture, I guess it could be wear that shows the inside of some particles that usually just add to the pear-skin like effect? I've seen such things around the lid rim on pots where there may have been sanding or just natural wear.

Image
Image
Are these your pots?
Post Reply