Teapot - Tetera. Part 2 (In English)

A Chinese Zisha teapot - Melon

A floral design teapot.

Detail of a sterling silver teapot, hallmarked London.

Japanische Teekanne aus Eisen

Kyusu by learza in Toorak, Melbourne.

History of the teapot

The teapot probably derived from the ceramic kettles and wine pots which were made in bronze and other metals and were a feature of Chinese cultural life for thousands of years. The earliest example of a teapot that has survived to this day seems to be the one in the Flagstaff House Museum of Teaware; it has been dated to 1513 and attributed to Gongchun ^[1]

From the end of the 17th century tea was shipped from China to Europe as part of the export of exotic spices and luxury goods. The ships that brought the tea also carried porcelain teapots. The majority of these teapots were painted in blue and white underglaze. Porcelain being completely vitrified will withstand sea water without damage, so the teapots were packed below deck whilst the tea stayed on top in the dry.^[2]

Tea drinking in Europe was initially the preserve of the upper classes since it was very expensive. Porcelain teapots were particularly desirable because porcelain could not be made in Europe at that time. It wasn't until 1765 that William Cookworthy devised a way of making porcelain and founded a works at Plymouth UK for the production of a porcelain similar to the Chinese. When European potteries began to make their own tea wares they were naturally inspired by the Chinese designs.

Teapot care

It is recommended that unglazed teapots not be washed in a dishwasher or soapy water. They should be rinsed with warm water only and left upside down to dry. If an unglazed teapot is used with different teas, it is advisable not to mix them and have dedicated teapots for every tea variety to preserve the taste. Natural tannin sediment in an unglazed teapot should be left untouched as over time it will enhance the flavouring without flaking off as in a glazed teapot. To remove build-up of tannin in a glazed teapot one can use boiling water and a couple teaspoons of baking soda and leave it overnight, then wipe and rinse to desired state.