If you want to brew great tea, these late qing/early republic (~1870s-1920s) teapots are the some of the very best clay available. You can of course find cheaper younger teapots (but they don’t brew nearly as well and possibly have added chemicals) and of course there are a lot of fakes at any price.
Please expect tool marks, dents and other possible sign of use, please also expect craftmanship to not be as precise as modern teapots, in both cases please examine the pictures carefully.
Please expect the lid to not fit perfectly like in modern teapots, and expect it to require some technique to achieve a good pour (see below for tips). This is because of how teapots were made then and it’s always the case with antique teapots (some more than others).
All the teapots have also been authenticated with at least one (sometimes two) of the most serious teapot experts in Taiwan, but please bear in mind that there are many self-proclaimed experts about Yixing clay, sometimes with very wildly different and colorful opinions. What I can confidently say is that if I or the expert(s) I consulted had any doubts about their authenticity, we will not sell them here.
I mostly wish to make these antique teapots available for their excellent clay and therefore drinking performance. This type of clay is perfect for old and very old teas (also for shou puerh)..
Technique tips for a better pour with antique teapots:
- handle the teapot properly (index finger on the knob without closing the hole on top, thumb and middle finger on the handle)
- do not fill the teapot to the top
- when pouring, apply forward pressure with index finger on the lid
- try to pour slowly at first, then increase angle gradually (you will need to experiment with each pot to find the best angles)
- unclog the pot often
Sizes are approximate, please refer to pictures or ask if in any doubt.
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