Moderated Silent Auction: Tingjunkie 1960s Yixing Shui Ping

[Chip]

EDIT: There is a bid of $50. The next minimum acceptable bid is $51.


Welcome to a TeaChat first of maybe more ... a Moderated Silent Auction. Tingjunkie requested permission for a silent auction on this item.

Hello fellow TeaChatters! I have an interesting pot that I am putting up for sale. I am a bit reluctant to let her go, but room must be made and my growing Yixing collection must be thinned out! Because of the pot's age, and condition, I honestly didn't know what price would be fair to ask for it, so instead, Chip has agreed to let me put it up for a silent auction here. Rather than resorting to eBay, I'd prefer to see this piece of teaware history remain withing the TeaChat community.

See the next post for more information and photos.



Bids will be placed ONLY by PMing your friendly neighborhood Moderator (that would be me ).

BIDS: Minimum/opening bid is $50. As bids are received, I will post an update post that includes the current bid and the next acceptable bid only. Bidders may PM their maximum acceptable bid.

DURATION: Exactly 1 week from the posting of this topic. Bidding will close on Thursday 11/25/10 at the same minute of this topic posting.

QUESTIONS: may be posted in this topic or by PM to Tingjunkie, however Tingjunkie will not be accepting bids for this silent auction!

PLEASE NOTE: I am acting as facilitator of this auction only. TeaChat, its administration/moderation, Adagio and her agents are not responsible in any way for this auction.

The bidder accepts full responsibility. Tingjunkie has pledged to sell this via this auction, and he is solely responsible for the prompt delivery of said item upon the close of this auction.

[tingjunkie]

Hello fellow TeaChatters! I have an interesting pot that I am putting up for sale. I am a bit reluctant to let her go, but room must be made and my growing Yixing collection must be thinned out! Because of the pot's age, and condition, I honestly didn't know what price would be fair to ask for it, so instead, Chip has agreed to let me put it up for a silent auction here. Rather than resorting to eBay, I'd prefer to see this piece of teaware history remain withing the TeaChat community.



As you will see in the following photos, this 1960's Shui Ping has several flaws. The lid knob has been broken and repaired by me (see this thread for full details), there is a tiny chip on the spout, and there is rough make-up clay on the bottom of the pot, probably from the maker setting it down on a surface before it was dry. In addition, as was fairly common for the era, the lid fit is on the loose side, and the pot does drip a bit when poured.







Now for the good news- The pot is over 40 years old, is made of great clay, has an interesting history, and brews tea very well! Although the pot has real Zhu Ni make-up clay on the outside, the real clay inside is quality Zi Ni. This method of spraying red cosmetic clay over purple clay was rather common (still is today), and is called, "nei zi wai hong." By looking under the lid, you will see the true color of the pot's clay, as well as the number "79" stamped there. This is not the year of manufacture, but rather an artist code used by Yixing Factories during the Cultural Revolution. Rather than having the individual artist receive recognition for their work, the factory would stamp a number so only they would know who made the pot. Evidence of Mao's regime trying to stamp out individuality and assert their collectivist ideals.



For the winner of this auction, the single-holed pot will also include a custom made 99.9% fine silver spout filter already installed.



Because of this pot's age, history, and flaws, I am letting the TeaChat community decide what it's worth, as I have no idea at all! I will start the bidding at $50, and the pot will go to the highest bid (plus the cost of shipping) at the end of a week. Bid with confidence folks. This is a great opportunity to own a piece of China's Yixing history, and to get a vintage pot that brews quite well too!

Clay: "Nei Zi Wai Hong" - Zhu Ni on the outside, Zi Ni inside. Medium-High fired.
Size: 130 ml
Age/Year: Late 1960's.
Walls: Medium-Thick
Pour: +/- 7 sec. Single Hole. Some drips.
Source: Acquired from a friend and collector.
Tea Pairing: I have used this pot with great results for both young sheng (tames the bitterness while preserving the underlying flavors and aromas), as well as high fire Anxi TGY (smooths the heavy roasting, and highlights the sweet finish). I could also see this being an excellent pot for cooked puerh as well, though I have never tried it out.

[tingjunkie]

Bump. Deadline approaching. Feel free to post any questions about the pot here, or just send me a PM! Any bids go to Chip however.

Thanks for looking!

[Chip]

There is a bid of $50. The next minimum acceptable bid is $51.

[Chip]

We have a winner, auction ... over.