Show Us Your Teapots

[rayaldridge 279]

I have to admit that I have a lot of curiosity about my fellow forum members and the sort of work they're doing.  That being the case, I thought I'd post a few pictures of a teapot that came out of the kiln a couple days ago, and ask if others here would be willing to post pictures of their teapots as well.

 

I especially like to see the teapots other potters make because I think it's one of those forms that require a certain level of skill to carry off.  It's a commonly-held point of view that if you can make a teapot, you can probably make whatever else you want to make.  Teapots are complicated structures, function-wise, and require a fair amount of thought and/or experience to make well.

 

On the other hand, there are very accomplished potters who don't choose to make any teapots at all, because they require a lot of time to put together, compared to other pots.  It's hard to find a decent handmade teapot for under a hundred bucks, and that probably doesn't fairly represent the amount of labor it takes to make a teapot.  But for journeyman potters like me, I think making teapots is a good exercise for building skills and insight into the form.

 

Anyway, here's my teapot.  I like this one because it developed a lot more crystallization on one side than the other, so it's like having two teapots in one.

[Mark C. 3,719]

These are decades old ones-no new ones easy to find photo wise

Mark

[Callie Beller Diesel 1,714]

Here's one from last Christmas.

[High Bridge Pottery 681]

Only ever made one teapot, don't have a photo with it finished. Terrible handle. Teapots seem far too complicated, and I don't really like tea.

 

Treepot 

 

[PRankin 186]

Here is one of the teapots I had to make for my ceramics class assignments a few years ago. I haven't made any since then.

 

Paul

[Benzine 1,057]

High Bridge, Careful what you say, your government might be listening! Talk like that may make you seem unpatriotic... Hehehe

 

I don't regularly do teapots. I made a coiple, when I started teaching, just for the practice. And I've helped students make a coiple since.

 

I did one last Winter, as part of a child's set for my daughter's Christmas present.

 

http://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/gallery/image/4836-tea-set-and-box-exterior/

[Pres 1,914]

I am working on some now for an order for Christmas. I hope to have ten done next month. I'll post then. Some of you have seen teapots of mine on my blog. Glaze changes will be included on the new ones.

 

 

best,

Pres

[Denice 604]

Glazing some teapots tomorrow, sold teapots in the past but I don't have any photos of them.  The teapots I am working on right now are pinch and coiled built with clear on the inside and Mimbres designs on the outside.  A little time consuming but I'm not a production potter.   Denice

[vinks 57]

This is my first ever small little teapot i made during the initial stages of my pottery making in 2012.......have nt made any after that.I suppose i need to give a hand on it..

 

 

Vinks!

 

[neilestrick 3,345]

[Benzine 1,057]

Stop showing off Neil...hehe...

[Joseph Fireborn 1,286]

That last one looks familiar.... hmmmpphhh.. beautiful stuff everybody. I have never made a teapot. Maybe one day. 

[bciskepottery 959]

So, I notice many of you use the pre-made handles for your teapots . . . for any particular reason?

[Callie Beller Diesel 1,714]

So, I notice many of you use the pre-made handles for your teapots . . . for any particular reason?

It eats up a lot of kiln space to do a pulled overhand handle like that. If you have overhanging forms like a wide bowl with a narrow foot, you can fill up the space with smaller items. Harder to get things in the void above a pot. Personally I dislike the cane handles, which is why I covered it a bit. Not an ideal soloution, but better than leaving it.

[neilestrick 3,345]

So, I notice many of you use the pre-made handles for your teapots . . . for any particular reason?

 

I prefer the look and feel of an overhand handle, rather than a side handle, and overhand clay handles are a pain to make, take up a lot of space in the kiln, break easily during shipping, and make it difficult to clean out the pot. The cane handles fold over to the side for cleaning and shipping, and never break. I also like the look of the two different materials.

 

I've heard snobs who say that you should make your own cane handles, but I am of the opinion that I am a clay worker, not a cane handle maker. I'll leave that to the pros, just like many artists don't do their own framing or make their own brushes. I'm helping to support another craft.

[Callie Beller Diesel 1,714]

I just haven't found a cane handle I really like yet. I like the fancy diy versions, but I agree with Neil about not needing to make everything yourself. There are limits to the things I have time to learn how to make.

[rayaldridge 279]

I used to make all my teapots with pulled over-the-top handles, because I felt that they were prettier than cane handles.  Unfortunately, I was so convinced of this that I never bothered to try cane handles until recently.

 

Someone who was very knowledgeable about tea asked me to make a teapot for him with a cane handle.  So I did, and I decided that I liked the cane handle a lot.  It's comfortable, light, less vulnerable to breakage, gives better space usage in the kiln.

 

But here's a teapot with a pulled handle.

 

[Mark C. 3,719]

Clay handles break so easy.-

I still pull clay ones on my English style teapots-they attach to the side like a mug.I only make them for salt fire-not production work.

No photos.

Mark

[Chris Campbell 1,224]

Here is an image of my current favorite 'Bilbro' teapot which I think was meant to be a coffee pot ... But it holds exactly two mugs of tea so in my house, it's a teapot.

 

Beside it is the most wonderful invention for loose tea drinkers ... A mesh basket that fits into a wide range of teapots ... just make your opening between 2 1/4 inches and 3 ... then you don't have to worry about all that spout/holes stuff. Stock some to sell with the pots.

 

Now the reason I don't use teapots with overhead handles is you cannot get these in or out. Also, if they have not made the lid with a good handle, it's a pain to get it off for filling and emptying/rinsing.

[Rae Reich 400]

Also, as a practical matter, bamboo/wood handles do not get as hot as clay. Unbreakable is good+++, too.

[rayaldridge 279]

Chris, have you got a link to one of those strainers?  Sounds like something to look into!

[Chris Campbell 1,224]

They are everywhere ... and range in price from $6-15 depending on how upscale the store is.

Look for loose leaf tea strainers or infusers ... For some reason it costs more when they call it an infuser.

 

http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/catalog.asp?begin=0&parent=Accessories%3ETeaware%3EInfusion+Aids&category=Infusers

 

If you scroll down you will see they also come in various sizes at this place. I own both stainless and plastic and use both ... There is no flavor transfer from the plastic mesh ones.

[cathgill 1]

i have done several child sets as well as these snowman ones

Oh I cannot get image to attach

[TJR 361]

My handles don't get hot and they are clay. You pull them from the back end opposite the spout.

See gallery.

TJR.

[Babs 903]

They are everywhere ... and range in price from $6-15 depending on how upscale the store is.

Look for loose leaf tea strainers or infusers ... For some reason it costs more when they call it an infuser.

 

http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/catalog.asp?begin=0&parent=Accessories%3ETeaware%3EInfusion+Aids&category=Infusers

 

If you scroll down you will see they also come in various sizes at this place. I own both stainless and plastic and use both ... There is no flavor transfer from the plastic mesh ones.

This may be the way for me as I haven't touched teapots since I made a batch , one of those days , when out of the glaze firing came teapots .. I had not put the holes from the body to the spout...how could I have not noticed this esp. when glazing?????? I am still cringing at this ridiculously unobservant time

Perhaps This could be a posting on its own. How unobservant can one be.