Zini Pigeon Beak Yixing Zisha Teapot

We have been looking for a Pigeon Beak Shuiping Teapot for a while and finally found a decent one.

This shape style is practical and resembles a Shui Ping. However, the spout and body are different.

One of the reasons why we wanted to offer this shape style is because the spout shape and filter result in a fast pouring speed of 8 seconds. And the pot’s mouth is big, so tea leaves fit easily.

Another reason is that it has pure, good-quality clay, much better than the one on many contemporary teapots. And not being a Factory One teapot has a lower price.

The lid has slight movement, aside from that the craftmanship is pretty good. It has no dripping when pouring.

Originally, Factory One made this type of shape. And most of its teapots (including this one) were exported to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and some countries in Southeast Asia.

This clay usually pairs well with Shu Pu, semi-aged/aged  Raw Puer, Heicha and roasted Oolongs.

However, I advise you to experiment with different teas and find what teas pair with the clay.

Note: The clay spots inside the lid in the last picture, in Chinese, are called Hua Ni. And they usually disappear after seasoning the teapot for some time. So far, I have only seen these clay spots in old teapots.

When buying old teapots, please be aware that:  Generally speaking, these Teapots have no perfect craftsmanship compared to many modern teapots. 

You can expect some natural kiln cracks on the (outer) surface of the clay, not perfectly aligned spout, knob and handle, tooling marks on the lid and mouth of the teapot, etc. Also other natural signs from the kiln, i.e. black spots, which are iron oxide that melted during the firing. In addition, finding mica chips inside and outside of the pot, that look like tiny, shiny metal spots, silvery in appearance.

Regarding lid craftsmanship, rarely can you find a perfect lid fit. Usually, the lid is a bit loose with slight dripping.