SOLD Chinese Imari Kangxi teapot with metal handle 1662-1722

An early teapot from the later Kangxi period and probably made between 1700 and 1720.  

At this time tea drinking in Europe was still relatively unknown except in high society and the royal houses.  

In 1707 Twinings was selling Gunpowder Green Tea for a price that is equivalent to £160 for 100g in today's money and it was in very short supply and difficult to get.

It was only after 1720 when Parliament banned the importation of finished Asian textiles, and traders began to focus on tea instead that larger quantities were imported, but these were still very highly priced due to very large taxes.  This gave rise to a lot of smuggling of tea.

Evenutally it was such a problem that Parliament passed the "Commutation Act" of 1784 which slashed tea taxes and at last made tea affordable to all.

This marked the beginning of tea-drinking as part of everyday life in Britain and the tea revolution truely had begun!

However, when this little Chinese imari teapot was made and exported to Europe, both tea and porcelain were very precious and expensive luxuries.  Which is why we find most early teapots are quite small in comparison to what we expect today.

This little pot at some point lost its handle and as you can see a new handle was fashioned from metal and riveted to the body.  How this was done without cracking the porcelain is quite astonishing.  

The edges of this handle have been rolled, which gives it a little more class.  Some of these handles were covered with rattan.   I think this one is unlikely to have had rattan because of the rolled edges, but its possible.

Decorated with a scene of a house surounded by flowers, this theme is carried onto the lid.  Some gilding is still visible on the lid though not on the body.  

A deep rich Kangxi blue cobalt underglaze forms the pattern, then picked out in a second firing with onglaze red iron.  A lovely little pot full of character.  

The typical short stubby Kangxi spout and three holes inside typical of the period.  And very high glassy glaze finish also typical of Kangxi porcelain.  

Makers marks:
None

Dimensions:
12.5 cm tall
18.5 cm tip of spout to handle

Weight:
400 g

Age:
300 years

Condition:
Good condition, some small chips to the spout tip and a chip under the lid rim.  And the handle replaced in Europe with a metal handle.  

Maker:
Chinese export Kangxi period 1662-1722