For Shui Ping lovers with small pockets...

[theredbaron]

I just ordered a small Factory 2 Zini Shui Ping from Essenceoftea, lovely little pot that is affordable, and from an era that is not coming back anymore

https://essenceoftea.com/collections/ne ... gxi-teapot

[oolongfan]

I have one one hold for my next order. Thanks for sharing for those of us who love small teapots. Elliot of Somthing Smuggled In, had also kindly alerted me...knowing my love of all pots small.

These are fabelous teapots. I already have one, courtesy of Tingjunkie....these teapots are a bargain for the quality and clay, in my humble opinion.

[theredbaron]

I have one one hold for my next order. Thanks for sharing for those of us who love small teapots. Elliot of Somthing Smuggled In, had also kindly alerted me...knowing my love of all pots small.

These are fabelous teapots. I already have one, courtesy of Tingjunkie....these teapots are a bargain for the quality and clay, in my humble opinion.

Thank you

Given how the prices for pots develop, and most likely continue to rise, that is an opportunity one should not let pass by. I asked David, and he said it is ever more difficult to find stashes of pots in such an affordable price range. Especially when one does not live in a tea hub access is very limited. It has been a while since i saw small Shui Ping from the factory era offered for such a price.
I just can't help it, i love these small Shui Ping

[Bok]

Given how the prices for pots develop, and most likely continue to rise

I partially agree. They are good value and look decent enough for F2.

I do not think F2 pots will see an increase in demand or price any time soon, quality is for the most part not comparable to F1. Same period for F1 pots is not even very collectable or a good investment for future resale. As far as Asia is concerned F2 is worth next to nothing, even the F1 80-90s are pretty cheap and everywhere. You might not find large batches of the same pot that easy anymore, but there are still a lot out there. Just a bit tricky to spot them among the rest

Millions were made of these and at that period the use of additives started to take off, so what safety and purity concerns, not with ease of mind as during 70-60 and earlier. Those are the ones that will increase substantially in value in my opinion.

You got a better chance of getting a 60-70s pot in the West than in Asia I think, for a good price, those are hunted for here and by many. In the West not many know to identify them and even less are looking for them.

[Bok]

Thinking about it, maybe with the exception of the artist made, more ornate pots, those are thought after for later periods as well, but not the standard shapes.

[Chadrinkincat]

Nice enough pots but to be honest I completely agree with BOK.

Pots like these are still gonna be readily available in 5 years with minimal price increases.

[theredbaron]

Given how the prices for pots develop, and most likely continue to rise

I partially agree. They are good value and look decent enough for F2.

I do not think F2 pots will see an increase in demand or price any time soon, quality is for the most part not comparable to F1. Same period for F1 pots is not even very collectable or a good investment for future resale. As far as Asia is concerned F2 is worth next to nothing, even the F1 80-90s are pretty cheap and everywhere. You might not find large batches of the same pot that easy anymore, but there are still a lot out there. Just a bit tricky to spot them among the rest

Millions were made of these and at that period the use of additives started to take off, so what safety and purity concerns, not with ease of mind as during 70-60 and earlier. Those are the ones that will increase substantially in value in my opinion.

You got a better chance of getting a 60-70s pot in the West than in Asia I think, for a good price, those are hunted for here and by many. In the West not many know to identify them and even less are looking for them.

Well, i found a 70's F1 Shui Ping here in Germany in a flea market for 2 Euros a year or so ago

However, from a pure users point the F2 pots are nice pots, and while in tea hubs in Asia they may be much easier to find, but not when one lives in the west. Also 60's and 70's pots were made in millions, and 20 years ago one did not think that they will be that expensive, as they are now.

[Bok]

Well, i found a 70's F1 Shui Ping here in Germany in a flea market for 2 Euros a year or so ago

Point proven Congrats!

60's and 70's pots were made in millions, and 20 years ago one did not think that they will be that expensive, as they are now.

Of course no one can know, yet the primary reason 60-70s are expensive is because of the quality of the clay, which is generally not the case for later factory ones.

[theredbaron]

Well, i found a 70's F1 Shui Ping here in Germany in a flea market for 2 Euros a year or so ago

Point proven Congrats!

60's and 70's pots were made in millions, and 20 years ago one did not think that they will be that expensive, as they are now.

Of course no one can know, yet the primary reason 60-70s are expensive is because of the quality of the clay, which is generally not the case for later factory ones.

Thanks
Everytime i go to fleamarkets now i keep my eyes open!

The same counts for Qing or ROC pots, each better than the later period. And more expensive...
Lets see what they gonna say in 20 years.
If China continues to grow economically in that pace, tea and tea pots will be a rich man's game...

[Bok]

The same counts for Qing or ROC pots, each better than the later period. And more expensive...
Lets see what they gonna say in 20 years.
If China continues to grow economically in that pace, tea and tea pots will be a rich man's game...

Not necessarily, older clays are much more diverse and not predictable in how they perform, all the workshops had their own methods and sources. Some are very good, others might be terrible. Just hurts more if the pot was really expensive and brews terrible tea!

But not necessarily expensive, fewer people know how to identify them, even less than 60-70s due to aforementioned diversity and lack of documentation. Chances of one slipping through are not too bad.

Apart from that it’s always been a rich mans game...

[theredbaron]

Apart from that it’s always been a rich mans game...

Indeed. Since the revolution it became quite affordable (not for mainland Chinese however, for whom pots and good tea remained quite expensive). The last couple of decades i see the low prices of tea and teaware as a bit of a historical aberation, which now with the economic rise of China is in the process to correct itself. More than 10 ago i started stocking up on tea and teaware...

[tingjunkie]

I'll probably get slammed for this, but...

If looking at teapots as tools for brewing, rather than for their collector/resale value, I think Factory pots are largely over-hyped. I have several modern pots from private studios that tend to outperform my F1 and F2 teapots. I'm not talking very expensive pots either, but pots I've paid $30-$150 for in the past 10 years. I actually just bought a nice pin zi ni pot from eBay for $80 including shipping from Taiwan that I can already tell is a serious performer. It's all about handling a bunch of clay until you can recognize the good from the bad- and even then you still have to get lucky too.

I fully admit my Yixing knowledge is only a fraction of some tea lovers out there, but my theory is this: with the exception of masters and artisans that had the freedom to take pride in their work, the Factories were mostly full of teapot makers who just had to hit their quotas using whatever clay they were told to use. Hence the very wide range of craftsmanship seen. Private studios could choose to take more pride in their clay and craftsmanship in order to build a following and make sales. Then of course there were private factories churning out their endless quota of total mass-produced crap or fake pots, too.

I guess what I'm saying is that, to me, Factory pots are like purebred dogs: they are held up as the gold standard and drooled over at shows. Meanwhile, so-called "mutts" are often healthier and can make wonderful companions.

Either way, the pots at EOT look like quality clay and decent firing for a good price. If I hadn't just dropped $225 on a F1 pot I'd probably snag one myself.

[Bok]

@tingjunkie you are right much of F1 is probably overrated, late Qing early republican is the way to go!

[tingjunkie]

@tingjunkie you are right much of F1 is probably overrated, late Qing early republican is the way to go!

Sure... if you’re rich. I’m a big fan of the Early-Millennial Jing Tea Shop era.

[Bok]

I’m a big fan of the Early-Millennial Jing Tea Shop era.

haha good one!