Teapot ID

[Stephen]

Do you recognize the age, maker and clay type of this teapot? 130ml. 11s pour. I haven't worked out a tea pairing yet.

[steanze]

Hi! It's a modern (post 2000s) zini pot. In some aspects, it is imitating the style of late Qing pots (shape and calligraphy on the bottom).
Should do well with aged sheng or shu puerh

[Stephen]

Hi! It's a modern (post 2000s) zini pot. In some aspects, it is imitating the style of late Qing pots (shape and calligraphy on the bottom).
Should do well with aged sheng or shu puerh

Thank you steanze! What do you think of the clay type (type of zini) and quality? The pics are a little pixelated from the resize, but mostly accurate. And what features indicate that it's post 2000s?

[steanze]

Clay quality is so so, on the low end I'd say, but looks like real yixing. Many features indicate that it's modern: the base, lid, clay type...

[Stephen]

Clay quality is so so, on the low end I'd say, but looks like real yixing. Many features indicate that it's modern: the base, lid, clay type...

Thank you

[Stephen]

Another teapot that I need help identifying. Do you recognize the age and maker of this 180ml ba le shui ping?

The pics are little pixelated, color is accurate.

[steanze]

Another teapot that I need help identifying. Do you recognize the age and maker of this 180ml ba le shui ping?

The pics are little pixelated, color is accurate.

Looks like a modern replica of an early 1980s green sticker F1 xian piao.

[Stephen]

Looks like a modern replica of an early 1980s green sticker F1 xian piao.

Modern would be 2000s? What do you think of the clay quality and type? Qing shui ni?

[steanze]

Modern would be 2000s? What do you think of the clay quality and type? Qing shui ni?

Yes, 2000s. Looks like zini, not specifically Qsn

[Stephen]

Yes, 2000s. Looks like zini, not specifically Qsn

I haven't seen that form of the zhong, 中, character on the stamp before. Is that a something that Factory 1 used?

[steanze]

I haven't seen that form of the zhong, 中, character on the stamp before. Is that a something that Factory 1 used?

no. It's one of the signs that it's a replica

[Stephen]

no. It's one of the signs that it's a replica

oh, interesting. does that mean that stamp/character is meant to identify this pot as a replica? or is that the maker's stamp and they are doing a pot in the style of F1?

[steanze]

oh, interesting. does that mean that stamp/character is meant to identify this pot as a replica? or is that the maker's stamp and they are doing a pot in the style of F1?

It's not the maker's stamp, it just means "China Yixing" which was a type of seal commonly used during F1. But the details of the seal are different from the real F1 seal.

[Stephen]

It's not the maker's stamp, it just means "China Yixing" which was a type of seal commonly used during F1. But the details of the seal are different from the real F1 seal.

What I meant to ask was, if someone made a replica why not use the same "china yixing" seal as F1 rather than a different version? I'm just trying to understand how this pot fits into the categories of original F1, intentional replicas, intentional fakes, and pots made in classic styles. Thanks!

[steanze]

What I meant to ask was, if someone made a replica why not use the same "china yixing" seal as F1 rather than a different version? I'm just trying to understand how this pot fits into the categories of original F1, intentional replicas, intentional fakes, and pots made in classic styles. Thanks!

I see! That's because they did not have the original seals at hand, and they thought that a sufficient number of people would not notice the difference. Terminology can be a bit subjective, I'd call this an intentional replica, it's trying to be passed for an F1 pot, but it's made of actual Yixing clay. It should make good tea.