Please help identify 3 Yixing pots

[steanze]

hmm.. generally after 90s, or what the taiwanese would call it as 厂外定制

but usable! the material of some of them look very decent and they can make good tea

All 90’s, even the first one? I did not think the last two were vintage, but at least the first one seems a tad older to me, at least if I compare it to more recent stuff.

Of course single holes can be used in any period. It’s more the colour of the clay and tiny signs of wear which make me think it might be older than 90‘s. But as a layman I will take your word for it…

I would agree with Kyarazen, also the first one is after '90s. The seal is clearly trying to imitate pre-1960s nan meng chen pots, but the shape, the clay, and the workmanship inside indicate that it was made later.

[jayinhk]

That second pot might be good with raw pu erh...worth a shot. That red clay pot I bought in Taipei is weird and I ended up using it for dry storage sheng pu erh, which it seems to do fine with. It kills gaoshan aroma though, and even took too much away from roastier teas. Kyarazen and steanze both said newer pots tend to need more use to get where they need to go. Not sure why that is, but it absolutely seems to be true.

[Bok]

Thanks guys for all the input!
Learned a few things

@Jay, I remember that pot, was a bit funny indeed.
But you seem to have stocked up quite a few now – probably more than you can use in a long while

[jayinhk]

Thanks guys for all the input!
Learned a few things

@Jay, I remember that pot, was a bit funny indeed.
But you seem to have stocked up quite a few now – probably more than you can use in a long while

I actually use them all!

[kyarazen]

Thanks guys for all the input!
Learned a few things

@Jay, I remember that pot, was a bit funny indeed.
But you seem to have stocked up quite a few now – probably more than you can use in a long while

I actually use them all!

i need help using all my pots!!

[jayinhk]

Thanks guys for all the input!
Learned a few things

@Jay, I remember that pot, was a bit funny indeed.
But you seem to have stocked up quite a few now – probably more than you can use in a long while

I actually use them all!

i need help using all my pots!!

Next time I'm in SG, I'd be happy to help

[Bok]

I would agree with Kyarazen, also the first one is after '90s. The seal is clearly trying to imitate pre-1960s nan meng chen pots, but the shape, the clay, and the workmanship inside indicate that it was made later.

For my learning curve and curiosity: Do you by any chance have pictures of how a real Nan Meng Chen pot would look like?
Or what clues of the proper workmanship would be?

If it is not too much to ask…

[Bok]

A quick google search got me this:
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O2286 ... -mengchen/
Significantly older though.

But it’s true the coloration of my pot looks very similar to the one above.

[steanze]

I would agree with Kyarazen, also the first one is after '90s. The seal is clearly trying to imitate pre-1960s nan meng chen pots, but the shape, the clay, and the workmanship inside indicate that it was made later.

For my learning curve and curiosity: Do you by any chance have pictures of how a real Nan Meng Chen pot would look like?
Or what clues of the proper workmanship would be?

If it is not too much to ask…

I don't have one... current price easily over $1000. Maybe there are some here? https://www.facebook.com/groups/teapot2/

[kyarazen]

I would agree with Kyarazen, also the first one is after '90s. The seal is clearly trying to imitate pre-1960s nan meng chen pots, but the shape, the clay, and the workmanship inside indicate that it was made later.

For my learning curve and curiosity: Do you by any chance have pictures of how a real Nan Meng Chen pot would look like?
Or what clues of the proper workmanship would be?

If it is not too much to ask…

ah.. usually by the shape it is more towards 90s or so.. tall shuipings of this shape is not really seen in the 80s although i have to say in the 80s so many pots are made from so many factories that I might have probably missed something out.

there are many aspects to analyse a pot, the shape, the fire, the material, various details, the workmanship, the seal, joints, spout , knob and all that.. using just one of the factors, which is not a foolproof but a usual first step criteria, the seal. 荆溪惠孟臣制，these words easily date back to the end of Qing, 荆溪南孟臣制 is first seen n early ROC to mid 60s. most of the 荆溪南孟臣制 seals are 翻溪南， 正溪南is mostly seen during ROC handmade shuipings, and amongst all the 正溪南, all the 溪encountered amongst all my collector friends (and the unfriendlies), are all 3 prong leg, not 大字溪. the mis-mash of the seal and the shape of the seal might put it towards the 90s and later. it should be from the same era as those 北孟臣pots。。。。

at the peak of my craze i had at least 10 荆溪南孟臣制 pots, now maybe down to five

just my opinions, feel free to vary from mine

[jayinhk]

One thing I noticed about that first pot earlier today is it appears to have exterior calcium deposits from use, but the inside looks clean! This is something I've seen with deliberately faked pots, including a faked Mengchen siting pot at a Hong Kong antique store that looked very serious and very legit (the store, not the teapot)!

[kyarazen]

One thing I noticed about that first pot earlier today is it appears to have exterior calcium deposits from use, but the inside looks clean! This is something I've seen with deliberately faked pots, including a faked Mengchen siting pot at a Hong Kong antique store that looked very serious and very legit (the store, not the teapot)!

hmm.. its sophisticated..

there was a period of time when yixing factory was using plaster moulds

[jayinhk]

One thing I noticed about that first pot earlier today is it appears to have exterior calcium deposits from use, but the inside looks clean! This is something I've seen with deliberately faked pots, including a faked Mengchen siting pot at a Hong Kong antique store that looked very serious and very legit (the store, not the teapot)!

hmm.. its sophisticated..

there was a period of time when yixing factory was using plaster moulds

So some F1 pots have plaster residue on them?

[Bok]

Thanks guys, adding more and more pieces to the puzzle!
In the meantime I am still happily using my own pots which work pretty well for whatever I throw at (in) them

I think Kyarazen had mentioned that a few times (correct me if I am wrong):
Shape seems to be much more important than material.
Which I can confirm in my own experiments, using and creating teapots.

The main part which has influence on the taste seems to be the body of the pot, handle and spout have more of an influence of the handling for the user, less so on the tea. I am geralizing here, of course the pour speed will influence in some way.

[jayinhk]

Thanks guys, adding more and more pieces to the puzzle!
In the meantime I am still happily using my own pots which work pretty well for whatever I throw at (in) them

I think Kyarazen had mentioned that a few times (correct me if I am wrong):
Shape seems to be much more important than material.
Which I can confirm in my own experiments, using and creating teapots.

The main part which has influence on the taste seems to be the body of the pot, handle and spout have more of an influence of the handling for the user, less so on the tea. I am geralizing here, of course the pour speed will influence in some way.

That second pot of yours in this post ruins everything--i don't think it's the shape that is responsible for that! I think clay quality (processing, blending, firing) counts for a lot.