Fanciful, whimsical, strange and silly.

[futurebird]

I've been collecting images of teapots that seem strage to me, for fun, or silly. Here are the ones I have so far:



I wonder if you could fill two cups at once?


This teapot is never facing the wrong way.




I've seen a few of these, but this was the best image I can find. The lid of this teapot is a teapot. (update: here is another! http://www.etsy.com/listing/106637067/v ... xp_listing)


This was on the cover of a famous book on design.



Long distance pour. Maybe it cools the tea down? Or maybe it's just fun.



here ^ is a means of sharing tea... (or water) with 4 spouts.


Three spouts: http://www.quinnkellogg.com/picture/img ... Image=true

Three bodies: http://dianepernet.typepad.com/.a/6a00d ... 970b-550wi



Do you have any fanciful teapots that you have found? In a way, this reminds me of the tea pets that shoot water. Drinking tea isn't all about being serious. It can be fun. It should be fun.

[bagua7]

Long distance pour. Maybe it cools the tea down? Or maybe it's just fun.

Popular in the touristy tea houses in Beijing.

[Poohblah]

Long distance pour. Maybe it cools the tea down? Or maybe it's just fun.

Popular in the touristy tea houses in Beijing.

And apparently in Southern China too. http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=17126

[Exempt]

Here's a pretty cool video of a long pot performance http://www.teavivre.com/info/gongfu-tea-long-pot/

[bagua7]

Yes, they use various postures borrowed from Taijiquan.

Here are some odd pots some might like owning:



Winter dragon pot



Turtle pot



Hanging heart pot




Whistling boy?

But I doubt the last two would attract any fanboys.

[Evan Draper]

Here's a pretty cool video of a long pot performance http://www.teavivre.com/info/gongfu-tea-long-pot/

LOL, read the comments!

[Evan Draper]

Do I win?
http://www.crossmackenzie.com/artwork/nspouts2.jpg

[AdamMY]

Do I win?
http://www.crossmackenzie.com/artwork/nspouts2.jpg

I think this teapot was created by someone that had their spout clog one too many times

[Alex]

Be good if only one spout works at a time. Every time you lay it down it randomly changes. LOL

[Maneki Neko]

It's not a teapot but I hope it's OK if I place some fanciful, whimsical, strange and silly thing here...

My Maneki Neko cup/statue. You can find it at Mrs. Lin's Kitchen.

IMG_1063.JPG (15.5 KiB) Viewed 3383 times

IMG_1065.JPG (16 KiB) Viewed 3383 times

IMG_1066.JPG (16.28 KiB) Viewed 3383 times

And here is its teapot counterpart (which I don't own)

[futurebird]

That cat is too cute... herre are some more potts from this "'clay house" that came up on another thread about getting clay.



Fractal teapot.



Triplets.

(source:http://www.chineseclayart.com/ChineseCl ... orks_3.asp)

[theredbaron]

Long distance pour. Maybe it cools the tea down? Or maybe it's just fun.

Popular in the touristy tea houses in Beijing.

And apparently in Southern China too. http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=17126

In '93 i have seen similar, but not that extreme long spouts, in all of Chengdu's teahouses, which were definitely not touristic, but in all gardens and neighborhoods used by locals. People drunk green tea from Gaiwan, read papers, played chess, listened to their caged birds singing, and occasionally had their ears professionally cleaned by folks that offered that service. In between waiters walked around and filled up empty Gaiwan from those kettles with very long spouts.
I haven't been back in Chengdu since. Dunno if it is still like this. I loved hanging out in those teahouses.

[Maneki Neko]

That cat is too cute... herre are some more potts from this "'clay house" that came up on another thread about getting clay.



Fractal teapot.



Triplets.

(source:http://www.chineseclayart.com/ChineseCl ... orks_3.asp)

These are both awwwsomely cute!

[Poohblah]

Long distance pour. Maybe it cools the tea down? Or maybe it's just fun.

Popular in the touristy tea houses in Beijing.

And apparently in Southern China too. http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=17126

In '93 i have seen similar, but not that extreme long spouts, in all of Chengdu's teahouses, which were definitely not touristic, but in all gardens and neighborhoods used by locals. People drunk green tea from Gaiwan, read papers, played chess, listened to their caged birds singing, and occasionally had their ears professionally cleaned by folks that offered that service. In between waiters walked around and filled up empty Gaiwan from those kettles with very long spouts.
I haven't been back in Chengdu since. Dunno if it is still like this. I loved hanging out in those teahouses.

I went to a traditional teahouse in Chengdu last summer. The scene you describe is accurate. But they used relatively normal-looking kettles.

[gingkoseto]

The long-spout teapot is more traditional in Chengdu. But the purpose of it is serving a lot of people in a row without running up and down (and it also helps cool down the water as people in Sichuan mostly drink jasmine green tea). So when there aren't that many people, a shorter spout (still longer than normal) is enough. Using a very long spout when not necessary would be a little showy.
Nowadays I suspect there aren't many young waiters who have the skills to use the long spout, and most of those who can have joined the show business instead of staying in tea houses