Yixing

[DailyTX]

Looks like a lot of Yixing Zisha fan/collectors are here. Anyone has recommendation on where to go to learn and shop for Yixing zisha in Hong Kong?

Look and learn in the Flagstaff Teaware museum: https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/ ... -ware.html

Shopping might prove more difficult, HK is small and a lot of people collect and probably scooped up what was available in terms of antiques, maybe vintage pots are still available. I'd just browse some of the old tea shops and the antique shops around Hollywood road. Don't expect good deals though... Keep an eye open you never know!

Lok cha Tea house has some collection if I am not mistaken.

In terms of new teaware it might be a better idea to just take the train or ferry to Guangzhou, most of the stuff comes from there anyways. If you have time that is... Count on a two-day trip to account for traveling time and troubles on the road. But probably you will still find cheaper Yixing in HK than in the West.

@Bok
Thanks for the recommendation, I'll definitely put the museum on my travel list. For the Hollywood road/antique hunting, I am not sure if I am at that level being able to identify older pots. I just hope I don't get rip off

[steanze]

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll definitely put the museum on my travel list. For the Hollywood road/antique hunting, I am not sure if I am at that level being able to identify older pots. I just hope I don't get rip off

The key advice is only buy what you understand... and be aware of the risks

[DailyTX]

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll definitely put the museum on my travel list. For the Hollywood road/antique hunting, I am not sure if I am at that level being able to identify older pots. I just hope I don't get rip off

The key advice is only buy what you understand... and be aware of the risks

That's a good advice that all Yixing collector could benefit from
Due to limited access to Yixing knowledge in the United States, I am still working on this one and see if it's old

[steanze]

Looks very plausible, it would be helpful to see a few more pictures:
1) base
2) under the lid
3) pic of the interior showing the spout hole
4) a pic of the handle from a different angle

[Chadrinkincat]

@DailyTX
Looks a bit like CZ clay

[Bok]

@DailyTX could be something, as Steanze said, more details might provide clues.

[TEAMOOD]

maybe something you don't know about is that Very few tiny group of people are quite specialized at business, making them "real" old teapots.

if you have any broken ones, you can contact me as I know someone who is able to make it look like a "complete" piece. You won't even find which spot gets magically treated.

Joe

[Bok]

maybe something you don't know about is that Very few tiny group of people are quite specialized at business, making them "real" old teapots.

We know about those... those are the guys we are up against

They are getting pretty good, so we have to look closer and be at our wits to separate the real from the fake. Part of the hunt and risk. As said before, those characters spend more time on the high value items (famous artists, styles, clays), if we aim for the lower "peasant style" pots, it is less likely to be worth the time and effort for them to fake those.

[DailyTX]

maybe something you don't know about is that Very few tiny group of people are quite specialized at business, making them "real" old teapots.

We know about those... those are the guys we are up against

They are getting pretty good, so we have to look closer and be at our wits to separate the real from the fake. Part of the hunt and risk. As said before, those characters spend more time on the high value items (famous artists, styles, clays), if we aim for the lower "peasant style" pots, it is less likely to be worth the time and effort for them to fake those.

Agree with @Bok
I am only interested in teapots that make good tea and have educational value about history. Will update you all with more photos on the weekend.

[carogust]

I am not a yixing market expert, but it's a shame that new teapots imitating old antiques cannot be sold legitimately. I really, really like how antique pots look. Just something about them that is missing from modern pots. I've seen a few "fanggu" style pots, if not mistaken that means old styled but they can still be a far cry from what I've seen of the antiques.
I'd be totally happy buying an antique replicate as long as its sold as one, and not being used to scam someone else.

edit: I do also understand why yixing collectors would prefer that no antique replicas were made at all. It is kind of a dilemma.

[Bok]

I'd be totally happy buying an antique replicate as long as its sold as one, and not being used to scam someone else.

Well, it really is like that with anything. Where there is a good thing, someone will try to imitate and make some money off it. Yixing, Tea, cars, smartphones, the president of a country etc. ...

Some are sold explicitly as replicas of antiques or in the style of a certain period. To mind comes that famous Gong Chun(供春) Yixing pot made by Jiang An Qing, you see the replicas really often, but no one in their right mind can even remotely think this is an antique. I have a modern Zhuni pot that is made with ROC methods and shows a lot of signs I would look for in an antique, weather it a bit and it might fool someone.

I really, really like how antique pots look. Just something about them that is missing from modern pots.

Totally agree on that, they do have an inherent charm that newer pieces often(not always) lack. Often most visible in the care that has gone into crafting spouts and handles. But the new artisans are not far behind and some young guns do some very interesting wabi-sabi style rustic looking pots that seem very intriguing!

But – a lot of old pots, if cleaned well, look like brand new and it is very difficult to tell what is what. I always get rid of the accumulated patina, no matter how beautiful it may look, for reasons of further verifying authenticity and also to be on the safe side in terms of storage flavours/mold/other that I would not want in my tea. After all it does not take long with most old pots to raise them to new beauty.

[TEAMOOD]

I am not a yixing market expert, but it's a shame that new teapots imitating old antiques cannot be sold legitimately. I really, really like how antique pots look. Just something about them that is missing from modern pots. I've seen a few "fanggu" style pots, if not mistaken that means old styled but they can still be a far cry from what I've seen of the antiques.
I'd be totally happy buying an antique replicate as long as its sold as one, and not being used to scam someone else.

edit: I do also understand why yixing collectors would prefer that no antique replicas were made at all. It is kind of a dilemma.

Hi carogust,
In fact, majority of Modern-made teapots imitating old antiques are being sold legitimately.

Because there are so many tea fans loving so much the designs of classic antique pots that most of authors are trying to make the same ones for clients.

While, there are also innovations for clients' different tastes both not so good and those Very creative.

There is no patent restriction, no restriction even on duplicated with 100% exactly the same with origin antiques(scanned data/drawing of antiques from the museums or local Institution are accessible) and one can even make changes on the clay, sizing scale, angle of handle and spout.

The fanggu you mentioned that looked different from the antique you saw is likely a modfied design. the same named teapots made by different famous artists in the history are even differed a little. it's similar like a worldwide popular song sang by many singers sound like in various versions.

if you really like those classic ones, I hope I can help you get an exactly same with antique from here local Yixing.

I also want to show people here the image of positive quality and high cost-performance of a modern-made zisha teapot directly from a Yixing guy.

Joe

[Bok]

Two Biandeng/Shendeng shape teapots, separated by decades in age, a 60s hongni and a ROC Zhuni.

One of my favourite teapot shapes.

The young one waiting for its turn to make tea

[.m.]

@Bok @steanze @Chadrinkincat Thank you.
Looking at the two pictures there is definitely a difference, yet i have trouble to put the essence of it into words.
It's been my impression that wrinkles or certain unevenness on the outer surface appear more on the earlier factory pots (is it due to the firing method?), and that a lot of the (mid?) 60's production is very much perfect.
I am guessing that the 60's hongni feels a bit more "lively" than the white label clay, which was blended to mimic it.

[Bok]

I am guessing that the 60's hongni feels a bit more "lively" than the white label clay, which was blended to mimic it.

You are welcome.

Lively is probably not a bad comparison. White label next to it feels almost dull. But that might also be due to the slightly better workmanship and crisper details in the 60s.