Today’s teapot was a great Ebay find again and it came straight from China.  I have featured Yixing Teapots before on It’s Just Life and love their simplicity and unique style. Several of my Yixing teapots in my collection have been gifts over the years and I keep them all together on one shelf in a barrister bookcase that came from my Grandma and Grandpa Brown.  It helps to have a special place for such special pieces and the small size of the Yixing teapot makes it easy to add to the collection.

The name of this teapot comes from the Yixing clay that it is composed of. This is a traditional style commonly used to brew tea in China and dates  back to the 15th century. It is  made from clay produced near Yixing in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu.

Historically the bottoms of such pots are stamped with the name and symbol of the potter who created the teapot and even though this one is very clear I have no idea what it says. It’s a neat thing to see the “signature” and thrills me just like having a signed copy of a book.

I love the simplicity of these pots and that you can brew one type of tea in each one exclusively and then the pot becomes “seasoned” with that tea.  It is the perfect way to keep a pristine pot for each variety you have in your cupboard.  The smallness of the pot enables a quick cup of tea anytime with minimal fuss.

You can check out a few other of my Yixing teapots by clicking here and here and here

The very sight of a teapot puts a smile on the face of most people. One cannot help but think of more serene and genteel times. From a whimsical child’s teapot to an elegant English Teapot, to collectible teapots that adorn some homes, they are a subtle reminder of all that is good in this world.   Barbara Roberts
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