Yixing Teapot - photo by Althea DeBrule
The teapot was invented in the 1500s by clay potters in Yixing Province in China during the Ming Dynasty period. When first invented, teapots were small unglazed brown or red pieces of pottery with wide bases, spouts and handles used exclusively for steeping tea. These pots were able to withstand extreme heat when hot boiling liquids were poured into them.
In the 1600s teapots were brought by Dutch importers from China to Europe along with chests of tea leaves. After a century of experimentation, European potters were finally able to produce a quality teapot similar to the heat-resistant Chinese ones.
Since that time the teapot has evolved from plain vitrified clay to fine glazed porcelain, and to translucent and exquisite bone China. Even so, authentic Yixing teapots are still highly coveted by tea aficionados.
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Comments
Originally, teapots and small cups without handles were transported by ship to Britain from China. These were part of the Captain's payment, and cost very little. So little that the recipients, the gentry, of such teapots and cups never bothered to wash them up. They had dozens of sets for the tea, which was, of course, at that time a luxury, not drunk every day.
The British copied the Germans, utilizing porcelain china, which was made into teapots,cups with saucers. This was thin, delicate and translucent. Possibly why milk was add to the tea, to prevent such china develpoing fine cracks. Hot tea was poured into saucers for easy drinking. Eventually, Josiah Wedgewood developed his own china, it was bone china. This contained the finely ground up bones of animals. Hence the
term 'bone china'.
Mary Elizabeth, Editor, Tea Break Magazine
The information is very useful. It helps me a lot on my "teapot idea log".
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