Wednesday, April 28, 2010

I'm a little teapot

Basics

There are 4 basic designs that most potters use:

•Geometric


•Forms found in nature


•Symmetrically aligned


•Capacity


Essence of the clay

Regular use, a teapot will absorb and retain the essence of the tea brewed in it.

That is the charm of an old teapot.

Old and used teapots are prized over new ones.

Tea connoisseurs will generally use one teapot to one particular tea so as not to adulterate the teapot or the taste of the tea.

There are various types of clay - purple, red, green ,white , lava clay and aged.

A well made teapot is made with the best and highest quality, that has a fine texture, porous and fired twice at the appropriate temperatures.

Colouring in the clay is achieved by mixing different clays together and right firing temperatures.

The iron contained in the clay mixture will produce colours like purple (which is actually a very dark brown), red, yellow, black, green or white.

No dyes should be used to attain colour.

It is all about knowing the right mixture.

Temperature

Durability of a teapot is determined by how well the teapot was fired during its conception.

A well made and correctly fired teapot can withstand rapid temperature changes during its usage.

Ideally, firing needs to occur twice at the right temperature for the particular teapot.

Care

•Always prime a new teapot.

•Never wash a teapot with any soap or detergent.

•Always rinse it in hot water and allow it to air dry completely before putting it away.

•Nurture the patina of the teapot with a clean tea towel.

•Store it with 1/4 tsp of your favourite unbrewed tea leaves.

•Always rinse the pot with hot water before each use.

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