Lost-in-translation teapot designs?

[mbanu]

Thinking of the various money-toad Chinese teapot designs made me think of this.

Like an American equivalent of a money-toad pot would probably be one covered in pictures of 20-dollar bills with a leprechaun as a pot knob, and would be considered pretty tacky, but money-toad pots are a standard Chinese teapot design.

On the other hand, I'm not sure how non-Americans might interpret something like the Hall China football teapot. I probably haven't seen enough of them, but I haven't encountered any sports-themed Chinese teapots.

Any other designs that are popular in one region but puzzling in another?

[LeoFox]

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[mbanu]

Fantastic choice! Wordplay pots seem pretty popular in China, but without a frame of reference regarding the RMS Titanic, a Tea-tanic pot that "leaks" tea would indeed make no sense.

I wonder if anyone has had a silverplate teapot engraved with "VANITEA"...

*Edit: Found on Amazon.ca, a Canadian version of a money-toad pot.

[mbanu]

Fantastic choice! Wordplay pots seem pretty popular in China, but without a frame of reference regarding the RMS Titanic, a Tea-tanic pot that "leaks" tea would indeed make no sense.

Even with a historical reference, I suppose that wouldn't be quite enough, as many people died on the Titanic, so it would be puzzling to make a teapot poking fun at that. Someone would have to know about "rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic" as slang for doing busywork during a disaster -- then it would become clear that this might be a teapot the host would bring out for guests during a stressful situation where they feel like they have little control over what is happening.

[mbanu]

This one took me a bit longer, "Oh, a reading-chair-", in particular, one for pleasure-reading rather than for study. But how would someone know this? That would be the lost-in-translation part.

I think maybe I was distracted with this one at first because the design looks hard to clean, and anyone who has had pets would be a little apprehensive of "tea" coming out of a blanket one had been lounging on. Looking at the cat more closely, it appears to be a lion cub- not sure about the meaning there, maybe that a good book can make distant places seem close by?

[mbanu]

Mango pots would probably be another lost-in-translation teapot design, as to understand them I imagine someone would have to understand how mangoes became a meme in late 1960s China, and a sort of shorthand for Mao. I'm really not sure what would be an American equivalent- maybe a teapot shaped like the Apple logo?

[LeoFox]

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[mbanu]

That's an interesting one! It is a quote from a play that was almost a hundred years old when the pot was produced, the 1677 remake of Antony and Cleopatra. (Maybe not too odd, time-wise -- would this be sort of like someone quoting from Errol Flynn's The Adventures of Robin Hood today?) The author, Charles Sedley, had once been notorious for making a drunken naked spectacle of himself.

Cleopatra: Ask him! His offers I have all refused, and yet of falsehood live to be accused- by you, for whom I suffer, is this just? One minute, brings long faith into distrust.

Antonius: Minutes may ruin what in ages rose, like Thunder, Love in infants overthrows. He has disturbed me, and he shall be whipped-

Canidius: -see he instantly be stripped. If thus you trample on all Roman Laws, what Roman is there that will own your cause? The Law of Nations too does this withstand, to any thing that’s brave, I’ll lend my hand, but stir to no such infamous command...

Antonius: Seize the bold traitor!

Soldiers: Will you have him flayed? Say but the word, this minute he is dead.

Antonius: There’s a true servant to his Master's will, whom I condemn, he questions not to kill.

Thyreus: With this affront if thou dare glut thy hate, no power on earth can save thy falling state : Caesar will take revenge!

Antonius: Away, away- and my command see strictly you obey.

Cleopatra: I do not know that I, a smile misplaced. I frowned where you frowned, and where you liked, I graced.

Not Wealth to Misers, Honour to the Brave, Health to the Sick, or Freedom to the Slave, coud be more welcome than your Love to Me. Then think how felt, the cruel change must be-

Antonius: What change?

Cleopatra: How can you ask, while this distrust appears? Distrust, the first decay of Love in years. What we desire we easily believe, Love on the smoother side does still deceive.

Antonius: Your lover shall be whipped, and as you bear that, I shall think you criminal or clear.

Cleopatra: Not to the man, but to his character, such an affront I wish you would forbear. It is a deed that might amaze the Sun, and by the rudest people yet undone: in all the travels of his fruitful light, he has not met so barbarous a sight. Ambassadors are sacred next the Gods, above your Axes placed as well as rods.

Antonius: Observe how, least I change his punishment, all ways of my revenge she would prevent, he may not die-

Cleopatra: Nor shan’t, unless your hate, all human laws resolve to violate -- then kill me first.

[pizzapotamus]

Mango pots would probably be another lost-in-translation teapot design, as to understand them I imagine someone would have to understand how mangoes became a meme in late 1960s China, and a sort of shorthand for Mao. I'm really not sure what would be an American equivalent- maybe a teapot shaped like the Apple logo?

Looking at the mango picture before reading the text the first thing that popped into my head was a dutch clog

[LeoFox]

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[mbanu]

Japanese Mr. T? Pop-culture references are a big source of lost-in-translation, definitely.

[LeoFox]

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[mbanu]

Food-related teapots are always interesting, because I don't know how far and wide certain things spread. I've had Marmite in America, but remember that it used to be a sort of Anglophile code, as it had a very non-American taste and wasn't easy to find, unlike today when it is often found in larger grocery stores. It seems like the designers were stumped about what to do for the teapot knob...

One solution, I suppose, is to not bother with a knob at all, although I think this isn't normally considered with British pots for some reason. Would the average Brit or American recognize a dimsum steamer, or would guesses be more towards "Chinese picnic basket"? I'm really not so sure. They sell those in larger grocery stores now too. One lost-in-translation point is why imitating bamboo in clay is so popular. Maybe a good translation would be that if you are like bamboo, you too are growing "on the straight and narrow"? I don't quite understand the association myself...

*Edit: It looks like someone has thought this through, very interesting context -- https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bits ... thesis.pdf

[LeoFox]

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[Bok]

a sort of shorthand for Mao.

Can we please have a Turd-shaped teapot to commemorate the last leader of the Disunited States