GJPaw Auctions is pleased to offer a stylish Yixing "purple clay" Chinese "bamboo" Teapot, with bamboo leaf motif. Yixing County, in the southern part of Jiangsu Province, has been the center of Chinese teapot production since the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The earliest written record on the subject of tea The Ch'a Ching, dates in China to 780. Legend has it that tea was first drunk there more than three thousand years before, but it was not until the Tang Dynasty (618-907) that the beverage became fashionable and the wild tea plant, Camellia sinensis, was brought into cultivation. Originally, the Chinese teapot was indistinguishable from what is termed a wine-ewer, and was a kind of cauldron used to boil pure ground tea, which was then served in bowls, with a brush to stir the tea. A true distinction between wine-ewers and teapots was only established after 1694, when the British East India Company directed that teapots made for them in China must have "a grate… before the spout". In other words, they wanted a sort of sieve where the tea enters the spout so as to strain and hold back the tea-leaves. By the time this teapot was made in the 20th century, the classic design of the teapot had been established - a vessel which comprised an opening with a lid at the top, where the dry tea and hot water are added, a handle for holding by hand and a spout through which the tea is served. Yixing teapots are smaller than their western counterparts as the Chinese traditionally drink from cups that hold less than 30 ml of liquid. This lovely example features a bamboo form spout and handle, together with low-relief molded depictions of bamboo leaves. It measures 6.75 inches in width by 4 inches in depth by 3.5 inches in height (17.1 cm by 10.1 cm by 8.89 cm). The teapot shows wear consistent with a dating to the late-20th century, including small scrapes and rubbing, but generally it is in very good condition. The bottom bears a character mark. Guaranteed authentic, it would make a fine collector’s piece for anyone involved in Chinese antiques, collectibles or Chinese social history.

 GJPaw Auctions has been in the Art business for over 35 years and is now expanding its operation to eBay. Our goal is to bring the same experience and excitement of collecting that we have been delivering in-person to collectors across the globe at Primitive in Chicago.  Every object we sell online has been carefully hand-selected with special attention to detail, quality, and significance. We ship worldwide. Add GJPaw to Sellers you Follow and please take a moment to look at our other auction items.

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