Show Off Your Chinese Teaware (Page 1 of 5)

A pot I've had for about 2 years, originally from Stéphane, ~ 120 ml, bottom seal is 经典陶坊, like the xishi I posted in the broken teaware thread; no handle / lid seal. Appears at least semi-hand made, 1990s IIRC; the workmanship is a little funky. I am guessing it's some sort of modern zhuni. Lid is a little loose, but it works well enough and it wasn't expensive.

Mostly used for greenish Taiwanese oolongs, which I don't drink a lot, but those teas season a pot fast... this pot has already picked up quite a nice shine.

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I bought some Yixing celadon which I really like. They are great for contrasting with unglazed Yixing ware as they add color to a service.

This gaiwan is supposedly a special clay which the company is not producing anymore. But the owner of the shop had a lot to say about how special almost everything in her store was. Lots of it was good quality though, and either she was justified in her self praise or I fell for the sales pitch because I bought a bunch of stuff there.

This cup is different from most of the yixing celadon, and a lot more expensive. It was actually a defective piece (not perfectly round) and so I got 70% off. I like it this way, and fancy it very 'wabi.' The glaze seems more transparent than celadon, and the fractures in the glaze appear more textured when viewed closely without a glare.

How porous Qingshuini clay is? Is it very absorptive? In another tread, "Yixing clay asthetic point of view", chrl42 writes about Hong Pi Long (aka Hong Qingshuini):

Are Qingshuini and Hong Qingshuini different clays? I am trying to learn about zisha clays but sometimes it's very confusing...

New pear-shaped pot (梨型壶) from Tea Gallery. Not sure of actual volume - maybe 120 ml or so. Curious if anyone has thoughts about what kind of clay this is.

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6 cup Qing Yin Zhongguo Wulong Cha shui ping (六杯请饮中国乌龙茶水平壶) pot, probably fake, from auction site. I have three of these that are close to identical, other than stains and lid seal. Color isn't quite as exaggerated red in person. I'll try to get better inside shots at some point.

william, I am no expert whatsoever. let me speak my personal opinion and you can ignore anytime.

first pot, shape is nice. looks like low-end li pi ni (zini) or other

second, pear-shaped. li-pi zhuni, story has 1)original li pi zhuni is from xiao mei yao mauntain 2)all li pi zhuni is added clay with big particle intentionally. truth, i don't really know. since it has no wrinkle, either way could be not convincing to my opinion. doesnt look like any type of zhuni, just 細砂 to my opinion

third and fourth one could be mass-produced hand-made shui pin or good fake as you mentioned

then I don't really know about old shui pin hu

old pot's clay seems even more obscure to my eyes, cos back then method of clay manufactering was different, method of firing (wood-fired) was different. I should study CR pots more...

william, you have just touched the very sensitive spot! WoW!

What you have just posted was what always kept me on my mind.

First, your lipi zhuni's wrinkle can be as even found on Zinis, but from Tim's pot has numberous unseen wrinkle in and out. And not just wrinkle, but color(guessing it contained iron red powder), natural particle, natural gloss overall doesn't look any natural to my amateur-eyes.

And all of above pots have less wrinkle leading me to understand 'ZhaoZhuang' Zhuni or Xiao Hongni. ZhaoZhuag Zhuni and Xiao Hongni's classification also not clear. Since it's from same ore bed (Nenni), it seems more yellow (redder), more delicate (higher shrinkage) clay is called 'Zhuni'. So your above picture makes me ponder it could more 'Xiao Hongni' type. Good particle http://www.chinataodu.com/article_view.asp?id=158 tells Al=alumina content as well affects in appearing a wrinkle.

Zhuni is 'mud' so it's very delicate, small particle it doesn't have any 骨-bone so easily breaks in a kiln. So potters liked to add Hongni, Shi Huang, Duanni particle and 'Tiao Sha' to make successive rate higher. But Tiao Sha Zhuni then have big particle that is opposed to 'mud' texture of Zhuni. But once it's successed to be fired with pure Zhuni, one can earn dynamic, creamy, red texture 'zhuni' clay. More wrinkle means higher failure of firing. My acquaintance quoted 'more wrinkle is better Zhuni'. Xiao Mei Yao Zhuni has the most wrinkle (over 20% of shrinkage), but purity of clay is lesser than ZhaoZhuang Zhuni, so Xiao Mei Yao Zhuni wasn't purifed red in color. ZhaoZhuang mountain was Zhuni mine and lots of pure ore could be earned. So long-timely ZhaoZhuang Zhuni has been worshipped for the great quality as Zhuni.

I'd love this conversation, WOW

Charlie

It's Xu Pian -虚偏. pattern was developed by 'father of Yixing teapot' Shi Da Bin in late-Ming.

Since it's not written in Chinese (master name), I can't copy and paste on authorized website..

shape looks nice to my eyes...

4 year old Zini Shui Ping

Ah, you got the "raw and ripe" duan ni from Nada, Brandon.  Very nice.

Will you devote it to a particular tea?

Interesting. Can you post a close-up of the clay?

looks moldy. is that color I'm seeing really green?

-still envious ;)