Yixing

[steanze]

Agreed! Who knows, at the current vaccination rates that might actually be possible in the not too distant future

let's hope so!

[Zera]

Good evening everybody!
I don't usually post, especially in forums, since i am more of a lurker, but I wanted to share two teapots i've recently acquired and if you may help me find out some more info about them.

The first one is a supposedly handmade shi piao from "Zhou Guojun" which i've bought second hand from a private seller on Mercari.

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The Second one is what looks like a handmade zini julunzhu, I don't know the era but it seems old and is quite worn, with a silverplated lid whose silver already worn down however. The Seal seems to be a phoenix but i have no clue what it indicates. The lid seems to have weird salty or ammonia smell inside while the inside of the teapot has some dark spots on half of the wall.

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Both seem to have good clay and the tea i brew in them turns out well, with the Shi Piao excelling at tie guan yin's, unroasted and roasted, so far and the zini making the tea I brew in it quite addictive.

[Youzi]

The Second one is what looks like a handmade zini julunzhu, I don't know the era but it seems old and is quite worn, with a silverplated lid whose silver already worn down however. The Seal seems to be a phoenix but i have no clue what it indicates. The lid seems to have weird salty or ammonia smell inside while the inside of the teapot has some dark spots on half of the wall.






Both seem to have good clay and the tea i brew in them turns out well, with the Shi Piao excelling at tie guan yin's, unroasted and roasted, so far and the zini making the tea I brew in it quite addictive.

The JLZ looks cute. reminds me of those medieval pan helmets

[Mark-S]

@Zera I've read that those pictorial seals were common in late Qing dynasty or earlier ROC period.

[Chadrinkincat]

@Zera

The JLZ is most likely same as this one. https://thechineseteashop.com/collectio ... 9743664207

It is a nice little pot w/ very fast pour.

[Bok]

@Zera agree with the above, this is not an old pot, it’s a later reproduction, late 80s or actually 90s more likely. The silver lid is a nice touch.

The other seems a bit odd, normally the green pots have a different grain, maybe something else or a more modern pot.

[Bok]

I got one that seems to be half-way polished, possibly a reject, left unfinished and then still sold elsewhere. At least that’s my theory.

Usually these carry the Gongju seal or inscription. This one is Tongzhi period.

Coincidentally, also aforementioned Dicaoqing of old.

Hey Bok
Is that patch of duanni on the lid?

It’s a Kintsugi repair I did on the lid

[Bok]

@Zera actually, those spot inside the pot look a bit like mold! Don’t use and clean it first! Not healthy and safe to use! There are some tutorials on cleaning a pot on this forum for your reference.

[Bok]

How would you explain the beauty of 60s Hongni? This picture says it all in my opinion…

Some collectors say all Hongni with use becomes Zhuni at some point, maybe there’s truth to this…

[Bok]

And following up, my favourite teapot shape, the Biandeng in various incarnations, 60s, 50s and Late Qing/ROC, Hongni, Hongni, Zhuni.

However pretty the 60s looks in isolation, this picture shows the degradation in refinement pretty clearly.

[Andrew S]

Looks like I need to keep going further back in time from the 60s if I want to build my current collection of one.

My small contribution to the topic: tracking the development of 60s patina.

Andrew

[Bok]

Looks like I need to keep going further back in time from the 60s if I want to build my current collection of one.

My small contribution to the topic: tracking the development of 60s patina.

Andrew

That’s a pretty nice build up! I’m always amazed how fast patina develops on good clay.

[Andrew S]

Yes, and I'm also surprised by how smooth the clay feels now.

I remember that when I first got this pot, it had a very 'clay-like' feel to it, quite unlike the smoother clay that my 80s zini pots have always had. This one now feels much smoother, especially when warm (and my zhuni pots also get even smoother when they're warm).

I have no idea what causes any of that, though... I'll assume that it's just magic until someone wiser that I am explains it to me.

Andrew

[Bok]

I want to add one last thing in regards to recent heated discussions here:

We’ve since virtually shook hands off-site like grown-ups, so please do not add further fire, jumping to the defense of either involved parties.

Consider it amicably ended. Thank you and apologies for the interruption.

[.m.]

And following up, my favourite teapot shape, the Biandeng in various incarnations, 60s, 50s and Late Qing/ROC, Hongni, Hongni, Zhuni.

However pretty the 60s looks in isolation, this picture shows the degradation in refinement pretty clearly.

Beautiful collection. I feel the shape asks for a lid knob of lower wider profile - the LQER one does the job well.