Age or Era? Which would you prefer?

[Drax]

Crazy question time!

Think about a piece of teaware that is older than 50 years that you would like to own; the type and exact age don't matter, it's up to you.

Now imagine through the miracle of time-travel, you could have that item the day after it was made, but you would have it today. As an example, say you picked a teapot made in 1905. In this option, you would have the 1905 teapot in 2014, but it would physically be less than a year old.

And now, if you had to choose one or the other option, which would you pick, and why?

I think I know what the popular option will be, but I wanted to ask to be sure. Also, I'm curious if your choice would change under certain circumstances...?

[kikula]

Wait, I'm being thick, but one option is to have the item fresh delivered, brand spanking new, from any time in the past, and the other option is to have the item as it exists today, wearing its long years? Do I have that correctly?

My answer hinges on the time-travel bit - do I get to go back and fetch it myself? If so, I'm in, and will gladly receive it freshly turned from the potter's hands.
But in that case my decision would rest upon destination as much as pot.

Otherwise, the present day antique, of course. With age comes depth of character, patina, all that.
Unless I can choose something that no longer exists, fascinating possibility.
Sen No Rikyu's favorite teapot?
Buddha's tea bowl, could I choose that?
Or maybe not. That's like wanting a splinter of the true cross or something, which I surely don't.
Still, immense possibilities here.

Give me an inch, I'll take a mile.

[Drax]

Oho! Very complicated...!

To make things "simpler," let's say that, yes, you get to do the time traveling, but you must pick up the teaware item from the potter shortly after it is finished.

So if you time travel, you would not be able to take Sen No Rikyu's favorite tea bowl, because then he would never possess it in order for it to be his favorite (oh the paradox!). But you could certainly select a tea bowl from the same potter who also made Rikyu's favorite.

If you didn't time travel, then you could select Rikyu's favorite tea bowl.

But... I might consider these types of selections as extreme cases, and for the purposes of the poll, I am more interested in the general view. So in this case, would you prefer that bowl from the 1500s to have passed through the ravages of time, or would you prefer to have it in the state as it came out of the kiln?

Even so, it's certainly more exciting to talk about the other cases (such as things that don't exist anymore!).

[debunix]

Age: I can get plenty of lovely things made today fresh from the kiln, but can't magically add the patina of age to my Seigan Hagis or Petr-yakis....

[Chip]

I am sure there may be situations where it would be my preference to obtain an "out of box" experience with an older item ... but ...

Generally I quite enjoy sitting, as I await water to boil/cool, and observing the "path" the piece has taken ... where it is today. I guess you almost have to like this if you enjoy Hagi or Tokoname for instance.

I am always looking inside the dry pot while I wait ... I observe the unusual patinas developing inside a Kyusu ... it is a sort of subtle badge of honor shared with the kyusu and me.

Of course, watching the stains crackle on a Hagi cup is also greatly enjoyed ... it enhances the experience of tea and the link to the teawares and the user.

[Drax]

I think I find myself leaning toward the 'age' preference.

But in thinking more about the choice, I have to admit that there's something rather nice about knowing that some of my teaware has always been in my possession and nobody else's -- that all of its age is a reflection of my influence.

I find a different kind of connection to a piece that has possibly passed through many hands, and wondering where it has been and what hands have held it and what teas it has held and what conversations were had...

Hmmmm.

[kikula]

Oho! Very complicated...!

To make things "simpler," let's say that, yes, you get to do the time traveling, but you must pick up the teaware item from the potter shortly after it is finished...

That settles it, then. Teaware is wonderful but time travel trumps most everything. The timey wimey thing is always problematic when you start adding or taking things away, though, as all geeky grls know. Reckless and always consequentially irresistible. Lets go.

If I can carry away a brand new magnificent item from the past, and then enjoy being the first in it's aging process - a pleasure that Drax rightly points out - then I have the best of both worlds. It only remains to decide which vessel and which era.

But in the context emphasized here, if you could possess this venerable vessel, say - 5th century Hagi - would you prefer it delivered brand new across warped time, or all time worn like this? (I like this game.) Or would you choose something from a 'higher' period, era trumping age in that sense?

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/hi ... th_ha.aspx

[Chip]

Oops, sorry Drax. I did not directly answer your question. I need to rethink my response. I will blame it on the "signatures" distracting me.

[AdamMY]

Apparently I am the odd one out, but it took some rather convoluted thinking to get there. While the piece with age has been viewed by many and if it has that much age and we are really *lusting* over it, there must be some incredibly great features to the piece. But almost none of those features are absent from the piece brand new, and the effects of aging would happen under my use and care. I would much rather see the piece develop into its greatness under my care, than buy a piece that everyone has long already proclaimed great.

So I'd gladly take the piece brand new with time travel, so I can see it go from good to great with my use and care.