Help Identifying Yixing craftsman/year PLEASE!!

[BethanyDS]

My mother got this for me at an estate auction several years ago, she didn't pay much for it. I have always loved it, but in these times, I would like to find out it's worth. I can't find anything quite like it online. I wrote to another group, but you had to pay to post questions...once again these times, but the admin told me it was Yixing and the immortal taoist Lan Cai He. Still doesn't help me with chop mark or year. Any insight will be GREATLY appreciated, as I've spent so much time researching this already, even trying to translate the chinese myself! LOL! Thanks, Bethany

[BethanyDS]

Sorry, here's the chop mark!

[BethanyDS]

Also, I am not so sure it is not Guan Yin, despite the flower basket, because the flowing dress, lotuses, head piece and rosary type necklace....again, any thought or info would be WONDERFUL!!!!

[MarshalN]

I'm afraid the answer is this isn't worth much of anything at all. This is a modern attempt to reproduce something old-ish looking, with what looks like shoe polish on the surface (are there black streaks on the pot's exterior, and does it feel a little sticky/greasy?). The chop mark is "Shi Dabin zhi", which means made by Shi Dabin. Yes, Shi Dabin is the most famous grandmaster of yixing pottery from the Ming dynasty. No, this is not made by him, nor his disciples or students. Many, many new "antique" yixing pots have this chop mark.

If you're trying to sell it, I'm afraid you won't get much for it. Of course, maybe if you try to sell it at some flea market, someone might pay $10 or $20 for it as a decoration, but as a piece of teaware I'm afraid it's not worth much of anything.

[BethanyDS]

Thanks for your reply! Dissapointing as it may be, at least I don't have to think about researching it anymore. On to other ways to make some cash I guess:)