Identical Pairs of yixing teapots (this is driving me nuts)

[futurebird]

I've really been enjoying this blog:

http://www.marshaln.com/tag/yixing/

There is a lot to learn and some nice pots to look at. But some of the pots in the collection have me wondering:



In their box like two peas in a pod.



Two identical tiny pots. The author of this blog has three sets that come in pairs like this. I've also seen pairs of identical pots used in videos of gongfu as well.

What is the purpose behind having two pots like this? Just to preserve the tiny pot brewing process but make more tea? Is it romantic? (I certainly think so)

I have searched the web high and low for information on "pair of teapots" but I can't find anything, maybe it isn't really a thing, it's just that this one tea blogger likes finding two of the same pot. But then there are the videos, always with two matching pots. Why? The mind races!

Anyone know anything about this? Do you have any perfect pairs?

[the_economist]

I have a couple of pairs, not quite perfect, usually mass-produced so that a pair can actually be obtained with some non-trivial probability. Nothing as brilliant as Marshal here.

I like them too, but I think you're overthinking it.

[Muadeeb]

If you like the style, then why not get multiples for different teas? I just bought my second 50 ml pot from the same vendor, one for light, one for dark oolongs. It will be interesting to see how the patinas differ over time.

[wyardley]

He gets a lot of pots from Japanese sources, and, if memory serves, a lot of Yixing pots produced for Japanese export were sold this way.

I don't remember the exact reason, but insuring against breakage seems like one plausible reason.

[Drax]

Perhaps they are his and hers pots? I have a set of hagi cups that are sold the same way.

[edkrueger]

Drax's and Will's explanations are plausible. I don't think that these would have been used as "his and hers" pots. I suspect that these were marketed primary for senchado usage. I don't think Chinese tea was popular at that time. Maybe those boxes were just a good fit for the pots? I could be wrong about any of the above. Perhaps Marshal knows.

[the_economist]

Ed's explanation strikes me as the most likely. I guess we'll just have to wait for Marshal to appear

[tingjunkie]

Not sure if there was a practical use many Japanese exports were sold his way, but generally speaking, people like having two of the same pot in order to see the difference in patina between one that get's used, and one that stays "virgin." Also, Yixing get broken often enough that it's nice to have backups.

[Teaism]

You can use both at the same time, one to brew tea and another as a pitcher. Pour the 1 st brew from teapot 1 to 2 and you can continue to brew on pot 1 straightaway. It is a greener practice and you eventually have 2 nicely seasoned pot.

[tingjunkie]

Hmmm... speed gong fu-ing for people in a hurry? That doesn't leave much time for a good conversation.