Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

[laura99]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by laura99 » Aug 18th, '10, 13:23

Lot's of great new wares to see today! Thanks everyone for sharing.

[Victoria]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by Victoria » Aug 18th, '10, 13:59

Last week Magokorodo added six Seigan and Deishi matcha chawans to its shops on Trocadero and Ebay. I ordered two by Seigan. I never cared much for his work until about a year ago. I thought it was too sloppy before, but now Mr. Seigan offers "neater" looking products as well. He also seems to have become very diversified in the various styles he works with. When I mentioned this to Hidehisa of Magokorodo, he agreed that Mr. Seigan has learned very much and is incorporating that knowlege into his current products with much success.

Seigan Blue Chawan:

http://s895.photobucket.com/albums/ac15 ... nBlueD.jpg

http://s895.photobucket.com/albums/ac15 ... nBlueE.jpg

Seigan Shinsen Porcelain Glazed Chawan:

http://s895.photobucket.com/albums/ac15 ... eiganG.jpg

http://s895.photobucket.com/albums/ac15 ... eiganH.jpg

Ohh I was eyeing that Seigan Shinsen Porcelain Glazed Chawan.
It is a beauty! Love that glaze. I almost gave you some
serious competition! Congrats!

Love your new avie!

[Mr. Usaji]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by Mr. Usaji » Aug 18th, '10, 17:47

There's Japanese oolong? And Japanese black tea? Is there a distinct Japanese style of black/oolong tea or are they just like the Chinese versions?

Yes, both exist and are available to Western consumers. Yuuki-cha has loose-leaf Japanese oolong and Japanese black tea. These are grown and processed in Japan, unlike some I've seen where the tea is grown in China or Taiwan and then purchased and processed by a Japanese company.

Much of what the Japanese do so well originated in China but they have added some unique Japanese character to it. These teas are not unlike those from China or Taiwan in taste, but there is still something unique about them. There are also the high quality and safety standards typical of Japanese products to consider. These same standards are not always found in similar products from mainland China.

I like both the Japanese oolong and black tea that I've purchased from Yuuki-cha. I have already purchased more black tea from them, and will add some more oolong when I place my next order. The black tea is more expensive, but it ranks right up at the top with the best Taiwanese black teas I've ever tried. Both seem very suitable to brewing in the small Gyokko kyusu. A 4 ounce pine bark one with the metal screen filter is available at Yuuki-cha for $40. I would not brew these two teas in the same unglazed kyusu that I brew sencha in. They both also work well with a porcelain gaiwan, although the leaf is very small.

Cool. Somehow I missed those on Yuuki-Cha. The black tea is pretty expensive, but it does sound interesting...I would love to read some reviews.

A quick search suggests that Yuuki-Cha is pretty much the only company selling Japanese black tea online (ochadokoro.com has it in tea bags). I've also seen Yamamotoyama oolong teabags in stores, but I would be surprised if the tea in them was from Japan.

Anyway, if I order from Yuuki-Cha I might have to try it. They do have some nice teaware as well.

[debunix]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by debunix » Aug 18th, '10, 20:36

I have some of the Yuuki-cha oolong and black tea at home right now, it just snuck into my order basket somehow. But trying to be disciplined and drink down some of my other teas before I try them.

[Victoria]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by Victoria » Aug 18th, '10, 20:38

The black tea is Fabulous.

[Chip]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by Chip » Aug 18th, '10, 22:15

But Yuuki-Cha has proven to me to be rude, crude, and just about criminal to anyone who utters a bad word about their product in public, such as here on TeaChat. http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=11657&start=30

I am sorry, but for an organic vendor, they seem so ... inorganic. Good teas or not, they make me sick.

And now back to showing off teaware, s'il vous plaît!

[Chip]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by Chip » Aug 18th, '10, 22:44

Beautiful wares, msurads06, Cory, IPT, and Britt. Thank you all for sharing.

Britt, why not show your wares? Here is a lovely blue porcelain of Britt's by Seigan. OOOPS, won't post.
Ohhhh (I just saw), you will have to resize them in your PB to post the images. Please do 500 pixels wide seems ideal!

[britt]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by britt » Aug 19th, '10, 09:06

Ohh I was eyeing that Seigan Shinsen Porcelain Glazed Chawan.
It is a beauty! Love that glaze. I almost gave you some
serious competition! Congrats!

Love your new avie!

Thanks!

I received both chawan yesterday but haven't yet opened either of them. If you still want the porcelain glaze chawan or regret missing it you can send me a PM and we can arrange a transfer of ownership. I'll hold off opening that one until later tonight.

The new avatar is actually a character from the SNK arcade game called Samurai Spirits (Samurai Showdown in the US). It was also available on SNK's Neo Geo Home Cart system, which was a cult classic most people never heard of. If you think tea ware is an expensive hobby, try pricing some of the rarer Neo Geo home titles!

[britt]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by britt » Aug 19th, '10, 09:14

I've also seen Yamamotoyama oolong teabags in stores, but I would be surprised if the tea in them was from Japan.

There are two types of Yamamotoyama oolong teabags in the stores. The more expensive one has 20 bags per box instead of 16 and it has purple on the package front. Price is about $4.99 per box. This is the one I used to drink fairly often at work. I was very surprised at how good this was coming from a tea bag. I haven't tried the cheaper version so I can't comment on it.

I'd also be surprised if either is grown and processed in Japan. I don't recall what it said on the package.

[britt]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by britt » Aug 19th, '10, 09:47

Britt, why not show your wares? Here is a lovely blue porcelain of Britt's by Seigan. OOOPS, won't post.
Ohhhh (I just saw), you will have to resize them in your PB to post the images. Please do 500 pixels wide seems ideal!

Thanks for the dimensions but I just resized all images to a maximum of 500 pixels wide and they still won't post. I get a message for each image that reads "it was not possible to determine the dimensions of the image."

[Chip]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by Chip » Aug 19th, '10, 10:14

Britt, why not show your wares? Here is a lovely blue porcelain of Britt's by Seigan. OOOPS, won't post.
Ohhhh (I just saw), you will have to resize them in your PB to post the images. Please do 500 pixels wide seems ideal!

Thanks for the dimensions but I just resized all images to a maximum of 500 pixels wide and they still won't post. I get a message for each image that reads "it was not possible to determine the dimensions of the image."

Sometimes it seems to take a short time to work if the photos had been too large, weird. I just looked and the size should now work ... and does.

[Geekgirl]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by Geekgirl » Aug 19th, '10, 13:17

Wow, that's beautiful. Seigan? Well, blow me down. Seriously, that is a huge departure from his previous style, very nice.

[britt]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by britt » Aug 19th, '10, 15:44

Wow, that's beautiful. Seigan? Well, blow me down. Seriously, that is a huge departure from his previous style, very nice.

Thanks. I was quite surprised to see this was made by Seigan. That's why I couldn't resist grabbing it. It looks like it may have found a new home already!

[Mr Wigster]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by Mr Wigster » Aug 20th, '10, 13:58

My friend just returned from Beijing, and brought me back some goodies.
Being a teaware noob (I know a little about the actual tea, but teaware I just haven't bothered to learn the ins and outs of) I am unsure of the value of this.. wasn't a price on it, but I really like it, does the job well..

Pot and cups:

Cup stamp:

Pot stamp:



If anyone knows if these pots/cups have a name/origin that'd be good .

[Victoria]

Re: Brand New Chapter! Show Off Your Pots and Cups XIV

by Victoria » Aug 20th, '10, 14:11

It's very nice looking, congrats!