Rare Chinese Old

Clay Teapots

Until the 14th century, there was no such thing as a teapot; in China, tea was prepared and served in simple clay bowls.  Tea was produced in small cakes made from salt and dried tea leaves pressed together; a piece of the cake was broken off and placed in the bowl, to which boiling water was added.  After the solid tea separated from the liquid and sank, the tea was consumed from the same bowl, often for medicinal purposes rather than refreshment and distributed by healers.

The very first clay teapots, then, date from the 14th century.  Several hundred years later, during the Song Dynasty in the 16th century, it is said that a monk from Jinsha temple fashioned the first pot from the famous purple zhisha clay of the YiXing region, which was renowned for its use in making tools and other cooking utensils.  Today YiXing remains known for its clay teapots, and tourists to the region will find many shops offering these renowned local products.  Besides individual artists making these teapots the old-fashioned way, the first mass-production teapot facility here opened in 1958 in the village of Dingshu.

This unique clay, called zhisha, comprises quartz, mica, kaolin (a white clay used in the production of porcelain), and iron oxide, which gives it its purple hue.  Zhisha is porous, even after being fired, and this allows the clay teapots to retain the flavor of the tea brewed within; after several uses one may obtain tea-flavored water from the pot without the use of tea leaves!  It is thus recommended that each zhisha pot be dedicated solely to one type of tea.

Although many zhisha teapots are still handmade in the traditional artisan way, there are also factory-produced examples, made by filling the clay into pre-made molds and later assembling them.  Even these pots often are individually smoothed out, finished, and decorated with etchings, carvings, or paintings by hand.

Both clay and earthenware (porcelain) teapots from China are available in a variety of shapes and sizes ranging from tiny to large, and including unique forms in the shapes of birds, animals, and other objects.  Many scores of companies distribute these well-known pots the world over to be sold in specialty tea stores and by other merchants.  Stoneware and porcelain pots are also found in an assortment of price ranges from inexpensive factory-made pieces to fine, rare hand-crafted examples that can be quite dear.

YiXing pots, specifically, also come in an assortment of shapes including tall ones, short ones, and both spherical and square teapots.  They also vary in volume from individual serving-sized pots to those that hold four, eight, or more cups of tea.  Often such pots are sold with a matching set of zhisha clay teacups.  The cost of YiXing tea sets depends on their size, shape, age, and quality, but one may find examples starting around $40-50 and, for particularly rare and antique specimens, upwards of thousands of dollars.

The best quality tea is loose leaf, so you’ll need a Yixing teapot, cast iron teapot, or kyusu to steep it.

The great chinese boxer (Rare old kung fu)

Rare Chinese old style Brass Carved lute lock key £0.01

Rare A set of Asian old chess 32 pieces game £0.10

RARE Chinese Old STYLE Brass Useful PASSWORD Lock & key £0.10

BEAUTIUL RARE OLD CHINESE ? LARGE 18K GOLD JADE / JADEIT CARVED RING £3,000.00

RARE CHINESE OLD STYLE BRASS CARVED CHICK LOCK/KEY £0.01

China’s old pretty rare vase £0.01

China’s old rare beautiful bowl £0.01

RARE Chinese old style Brass Carved Tortoise lock/key £0.10

Rare Valuable Old Chinese 12 animal “Rabbit” Silver Coin 兔 £0.01

RARE CHINESE OLD Tibetan silver inlay dragon bracelet £0.15

RARE CHINESE OLD Tibetan silver inlay dragon bracelet £0.15

RARE CHINESE ANTIQUE EMBROIDERED SHOES~UNUSUAL OLD~NO RESERVE MINT CONDITION £14.87

China’s old rare QianBan £0.01

wonderful rare old style copper lifelike pig teapot £0.01

Rare Chinese old style Brass Carved fish lock/key £0.99

Old Rare Tibetan Silver Jade Teapot £2.88

China’s old rare stamp £0.01

China’s old rare beautiful bowl £0.01

China’s old rare stamp £0.01

China’s old rare elegant Plates £0.01

Old Rare Valuable Chinese 12 animal “pig” Silver Coin 猪 L £0.01

Oriental Old Rare Antique Chinese Coffee/Tea Pot Set Ibrik Cezve Collectors Sale £49.00

Rare Valuable Old Chinese 12 animal “Rabbit” Silver Coin 兔 £0.01

FANTASTIC OLD CHINESE ROCK CRYSTAL SEATED GOD FIGURE – VERY RARE £56.00

wonderful rare old style copper lifelike pig teapot £0.20

Rare Old Tibet silver & jade Magnifying Glass £0.99

China’s old exquisite rare pastel bowl £125.99

China’s old rare QianBan £0.01

China’s old rare stamp £0.01

China’s old rare QianBan £0.01

China’s old rare porcelain plate £113.96

China’s old exquisite rare pastel colors the Plates £125.99

Antique Chinese old rare jun porcelain Incense Burners £189.30

China’s old rare stamp £0.01

China’s old rare elegant Plates Oil lamp £0.01

China’s old rare elegant rat snake cans £62.68

China’s old rare stamp £0.01

China’s old rare beautiful bowl £0.01

China’s old rare beautiful tea boxes £189.30

China’s old rare stamp £0.01

China’s old rare QianBan £0.01

China’s rare elegant old glasses £6.32

China’s rare elegant old glasses £6.32

China’s rare elegant old glasses £6.32

China’s rare elegant old glasses £0.01

China’s old rare beautiful CiHe £0.01

2 RARE CHINESE OLD Tibetan silver inlay buddha bracelet £0.99

2 RARE CHINESE OLD Tibetan silver inlay buddha words bracelet bangle £0.99

RARE Chinese old style Brass Carved Tortoise lock/key £0.20

Rare Chinese Old Style Tibet silver & jade Magnifying Glass £0.99

Rare Valuable Old Chinese 12 animal “Rabbit” Silver Coin 兔 £0.01

Old Rare Valuable Chinese 12 animal “pig” Silver Coin 猪 er £0.01

Old Rare Valuable Chinese 12 animal “pig” Silver Coin 猪 L £4.99

Chinese statue bronze rare horse heroes Old bronze £38.99

China’s rare elegant old glasses £0.01

Antique Chinese old rare jun porcelain Incense Burners £189.30

Antique Chinese old rare jun porcelain Incense Burners £252.61

China’s old rare colored enamel vase £315.92

China’s rare elegant old glasses £0.01

Antique Chinese old rare jun porcelain Vases £189.30

A Rare, Old Chinese Flower Print of Lilies Premium Photographic Poster Print, 32×24 A Rare, Old Chinese Flower Print of Lilies is digitally printed on archival photographic paper resulting in vivid, pure color and exceptional detail that is suitable for any museum or gallery display. Finding that perfect piece to match your interest and style is easy and within your budget!…

Rare Hong Kong Boats Print by Eric Lawton 91cms x 61cms £19.99 All prints are brand new; carefully rolled; and shipped inside sturdy cardboard tubing so they reach you in perfect condition. All prints or posters are ready to mount and frame, this example of high end art can be used in a variety of different environment….

Rare Racing the Storm by Joel Thompson 94cms x 64cms £29.99 All prints are brand new; carefully rolled; and shipped inside sturdy cardboard tubing so they reach you in perfect condition. All prints or posters are ready to mount and frame, this example of high end art can be used in a variety of different environment….

First Class Chinese Puerh Tea Red Tea 200g £6.19 Genuine First Class Chinese Pu-Erh Red Tea —-Chinese famour tea, really worth product Here completely genuine first class pu-erh red tea from Chinese Yunnan Province, with high quality, super flavor and sealed environmental package. Guaranteed products. Yunnan Pu-Erh Tea is prepared with high quality tea from high mountains in West China by undergoing special fermentation technology. It ta…

Speciality Farm Foods No. 101 Bailin Gungfu Red Tea 50g £8.13 What the West labelled as ‘black tea’ was invented in the early 19th century by Guangdong merchants looking to widen the production base for sea-worthy tea to satisfy the then soaring demand for export. It was called ‘red tea’ because the leaves, after infusion, are reddish, and so is the liquor. Bailin, a small village in the north of Fujian, was one of the two first experimental production sites…

Gogo’s Crazy Bones Gold Series Limited Edition Tin Part 1 £4.99 -Crazy Bones Gogo’s Gold Series Limited Edition Tin Set…

The phenix: a collection old and rare fragments ; viz. the Morals of Confucius, the Chinese philosopher ; the Oracles of Zoroaster, the founder of the . the creation ; the Voyages of Hanno round the This book, “The phenix: a collection old and rare fragments ; viz. the Morals of Confucius, the Chinese philosopher ; the Oracles of Zoroaster, the founder of the . the creation ; the Voyages of Hanno round the”, by Anonymous, is a replication. It has been restored by human beings, page by page, so that you may enjoy it in a form as close to the original as possible. This book was created using pr…

Rare flowers from seed. How to grow tuberous begonias, calceolarias, cinerarias, Chinese primroses, coleus, cyclamens, single and double petunias, fuchsias, and other rare flowers This book, “Rare flowers from seed. How to grow tuberous begonias, calceolarias, cinerarias, Chinese primroses, coleus, cyclamens, single and double petunias, fuchsias, and other rare flowers”, by E D. [from old catalog] Darlington, is a replication. It has been restored by human beings, page by page, so that you may enjoy it in a form as close to the original as possible. This book was created us…

The Phenix; A Collection of Old and Rare Fragments: Viz. the Morals of Confucius, the Chinese Philosopher; The Oracles of Zoroaster, the £14.50 …