In the world of tea, those who have high demands for tea are equally persistent about the utensils that carry the flavor of tea. Among them, purple clay teapots, as the outstanding representatives in the tea set, the grade of their raw materials almost directly determines the value of the teapot. "High - quality clay is paired with excellent craftsmanship" is an unchanging law in the field of purple clay art. Today, Tongxin She Teahouse presents an extremely rare treasure - a pear - shaped small coal kiln Zhuni teapot made by Master Ye Xiangkun in the Yongzheng period (1723 - 1735), and there is only one such teapot.
This teapot is made of small coal kiln Zhuni clay. Since its mining, this kind of clay has been known for its rarity and enjoys the reputation of the "Queen of Zhuni". It has always attracted the close attention of senior purple clay teapot enthusiasts. In the 1990s, the small coal kiln Zhuni clay mine was closed. Now, the remaining clay has been aged for nearly 30 years. With the precipitation of time, it has become even more precious. From the very source of the clay, it has left other ordinary clays far behind at the starting line. Many teapot lovers may only have heard of the small coal kiln Zhuni, but have never seen it. In fact, small coal kiln Zhuni is very recognizable. When observed with the naked eye, the clay is extremely fine and pure. Just gently twist it with your fingers, and it can turn into powder. The shrinkage rate of ordinary Zhuni raw blanks is 10%, while that of small coal kiln Zhuni can reach as high as 25% or even 30%. This makes its yield rate extremely low, less than 50%.正因如此, there are not many teapots made of small coal kiln Zhuni on the market. As the time since the mine closure continues to lengthen, the amount of small coal kiln clay in the hands of craftsmen is constantly decreasing, becoming increasingly scarce. This non - renewable clay is now in a state where it is valuable but not available on the market.
This pear - shaped teapot is made by Master Ye Xiangkun, a famous Zhuni master, and has a very high collection value. Master Ye Xiangkun has more than 20 years of experience in copying ancient teapots, which has made his basic skills extremely solid. The purple clay teapots he makes perfectly demonstrate the purple clay art spirit of "round and mellow, with roundness in squares and grandeur in smallness". Take his ping - level teapot works as an example. The shape is simple and generous, but the lines of the teapot body are extremely tense, showing full artistic charm. In terms of clay blending, Master Ye Xiangkun has great insights. The tea wares he makes have the charm of Ming and Qing ancient teapots. This charm not only adds a simple and unsophisticated beauty to the appearance and texture of the purple clay teapot but also greatly increases its uniqueness and scarcity. Master Ye Xiangkun's works have a unique style, are highly sought after by connoisseurs, and have a high degree of recognition and reputation in the industry. His teapots not only inherit the temperament and techniques of traditional purple clay craftsmanship but also integrate his own unique understanding and perception of purple clay art, thus forming a unique style.
Master Ye Xiangkun's purple clay teapots have also performed impressively in the auction market. In the Purple Charm Heaven - made Purple Clay Art Special Session of the Beijing Dingxing Tianhe Spring Auction in 2019, his 100 - cc ping - level teapot was sold at a price of 25,300 yuan, far exceeding the estimated price at that time. This achievement fully reflects the high degree of recognition and acceptance of his works by the market.
The pear - shaped small coal kiln Zhuni teapot made by Master Ye Xiangkun in the Yongzheng period, recommended as a treasure by Tongxin She Teahouse this time, has a capacity of 120 cc. It combines high - quality clay, exquisite craftsmanship, a unique style, and high collection value. Whether for senior tea lovers who pursue the ultimate tea flavor or collectors who focus on rare purple clay teapots, it is a rare and hard - to - find treasure. Owning it not only allows you to taste the mellow tea flavor every time you make tea but also enables you to collect a precious piece of purple clay art history.