Yann Zisha Gallery

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Youzi
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Sun May 09, 2021 9:57 am

teabug wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 7:20 am
Bok wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 4:45 am
teabug don’t underestimate the skills of a professional potter. Any half-decent potter is able to replicate identical designs…
with a mould it would be even easier. I’m still a bit sceptical. The three piece combo features a 20 year old authentic Zhini pot fully handmade and then to be sold to the western market for under $300. That would mean those pots go for about $100-150 in the chinese market.
Full hand pots start from about 1000 rmb in China. Clay isn't the major cost of a teapot. 20 year old clay means just that it was sitting in a warehouse for 20 years. Age doesn't make clay better after a certain years. And then aging is only needed for forming the shape and give it more strength, plasotocity during forming and firing.

Aging does nothing for your tea.
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Youzi
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Sun May 09, 2021 9:58 am

Bok wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 9:41 am
teabug wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 7:26 am
Youzi wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 4:51 am
The prices seem to add up. If you look at the prices for the artist on the site "She Rongfei" it's also in the same price range. I think most or all of his teapots are fully hand made. I have the 90ml pear zhuni teapot.

His style / finishing seems more crude than other potters, which I think is a nice touch, but not that popular in China.

For more info you can probably ask Yanni about the pots you are thinking about.
I interpret your post thus, that you are not unhappy with the pot of She Rongfei. Would not have thought that chinese buyers frequent those webshops that are seemingly geared towards westerners. Maybe the pots aren’t that overpriced after all. I will have a think about a purchase.
No Chinese Yixing studio could make a living by only serving the Western market… drops in the ocean plus lots of questions and demands for “custom-made” ;)

Seems to me that many just put one of the young guys on the job to get a little extra business from the IG crowd, while they deal with the major national and regional markets. Happens with tea as well.
+1

Exactly as Bok says. Selling abroad is a good way to add value and marketing clout in the mainland.
teabug
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Sun May 09, 2021 1:18 pm

Thanks Bok and Youzi for your help. Perhaps it is better I start with a somewhat cheaper pot from Yannartgallery, before going overboard with the 500$+ pieces. She Rongfei seems a good starting point. Although I am not 100% convinced yet of the fully handmade label. But I am not too hung up on the fully handmade or half handmade thing either. Main concern for me is that the clay is not tempered with (no chemicals added).
DailyTX
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Sun May 09, 2021 7:46 pm

teabug wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 1:18 pm
Thanks Bok and Youzi for your help. Perhaps it is better I start with a somewhat cheaper pot from Yannartgallery, before going overboard with the 500$+ pieces. She Rongfei seems a good starting point. Although I am not 100% convinced yet of the fully handmade label. But I am not too hung up on the fully handmade or half handmade thing either. Main concern for me is that the clay is not tempered with (no chemicals added).
@teabug
I remember seeing a few sub $500 pots from yannartgallery for sale by members here. You can check the tea swap thread to see if anyone has one for sale.
teabug
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Mon May 10, 2021 7:12 am

@DailyTx

Thanks for the recommendation of the buy&sell corner. I will have a sniff around. However, I had a weak moment yesterday and purchased a She Rongfei pot (65ml Zhuni “fully” handmade) for $285 plus $15 shipping. Perhaps I write a review once the pot has arrived and I had some time to use it for a bit. Since I got a small collection of yixing pots from mudandleaves, it will be interesting to see how those rather expensive “fully handmade” pots fare up against their half handmade and more reasonably priced cousins from mudandleaves. I’m still a bit sceptical about the whole fully handmade stick, but have had experience with a Master Wu fully handmade Chaozhou pot from meileaf. And that pot handles notably better than the cheaper ones from bitterleafteas. Whether it is worth double the price is debatable.
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Bok
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Mon May 10, 2021 7:26 am

Full- or half handmade pot doesn’t make any difference in taste, all things like clay being equal.

Some might look better, but not necessarily.
teabug
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Mon May 10, 2021 7:44 am

Bok wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 7:26 am
Full- or half handmade pot doesn’t make any difference in taste, all things like clay being equal.

Some might look better, but not necessarily.
Which means fully handmade is just for schmucks like me :oops: :lol:

But anyways, I still hope that fully handmade pots in general do handle better and use better clay. I might be dead wrong on that assumption though. The one fully handmade pot that I own, is a Chaozhou Master Wu pot from Mei Leaf and it does handle better than my half handmade Chaozhou pot from bitterleafteas though. Since I probably unconsciously try to justify my purchase of “fully handmade” pots, it could all well be imaginary I have to admit. I am fully aware of the “ all the gear and no idea” image westeners like myself must convey to asian tea afficionados.
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Bok
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Mon May 10, 2021 7:57 am

Aren’t most Chaozhou teapots wheel thrown anyways? So by definition all handmade.

I know there is another automated method for creating Chaozhou ware, but I was under the (perhaps wrong) impression, most are still handmade.
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Youzi
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Mon May 10, 2021 8:26 am

Bok wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 7:26 am
Full- or half handmade pot doesn’t make any difference in taste, all things like clay being equal.

Some might look better, but not necessarily.
Actually, depending on the technique they use during halfhand and full hand making, the two different techniques could result in a different inner surface texture and porosity, which would have an effect on the taste, all other things being equal.


But yes, full hand is more of an aesthetic thing. Not ergonomy or different way of brewing.
teabug
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Mon May 10, 2021 8:32 am

Bok wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 7:57 am
Aren’t most Chaozhou teapots wheel thrown anyways? So by definition all handmade....
Well, in that case lets just say one pot is by Master Wu and the other is by apprentice Wu :D
One costs $100 at bitterleafteas and the other £195 ($275) over at Don’s London tea den.
I am talking that one here: https://meileaf.com/teaware/master-wu-nafu/
Even with Mei Leaf’s infamously inflated prices, the difference can’t just be all marketing fluff, or can it? Anyways, that Master Wu pot handles very well. And I am fully aware of the greatly exaggerated prices for the western market. But what can you do if one doesn’t live in Asia and the teaware bug has bitten... :cry:
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Bok
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Mon May 10, 2021 8:36 am

teabug wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 8:32 am
Even with Mei Leaf’s infamously inflated prices, the difference can’t just be all marketing fluff, or can it?
That’s exactly what it is… plus London rent, import fees etc. Bitter leaf is based out of China, right? So that cuts considerable costs.

Ask yourself, why is he just called Master Wu and not his full name… ? You know how many 100000 are called Wu in Chaozhou alone…
teabug
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Mon May 10, 2021 8:53 am

Bok wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 8:36 am
Ask yourself, why is he just called Master Wu and not his full name… ? You know how many 100000 are called Wu in Chaozhou alone…
Now that I come to think of it, I want my money back... :|
But I console myself, that the “Master” Wu pot will last me 20 years or longer, making the overcharge feel not as bad as it actually is. And anyways, I yesterday doubled down on my ignorance with my recent purchase of a “fully handmade” She Rongfei pot at Yannartgallery. :lol: But that was definetely the last pot I bought. I’m done with pots now.
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Bok
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Mon May 10, 2021 8:58 am

“Done with pots” @teabug so you think…

It’s all part of the journey.
faj
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Mon May 10, 2021 8:59 am

teabug wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 8:53 am
I’m done with pots now.
Famous last words... ;)

The question is, are pots done with you? :mrgreen:
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LeoFox
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Mon May 10, 2021 9:00 am

faj wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 8:59 am
teabug wrote:
Mon May 10, 2021 8:53 am
I’m done with pots now.
Famous last words... ;)

The question is, are pots done with you? :mrgreen:
I thought I was done so many times...
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