Long Dan (龙旦) Zhuni Yixing Teapot #3012

Long Dan Zhuni Gongfu Teapot | Yixing Zisha 
龙旦 本山朱泥 功夫小品 | 宜兴紫砂

Artist:  Xia Family Studio
Clay:   Huanglong Shan Zhuni
Capacity:    145ml
Pour Time:    7s
Made in Dingshan, Yixing
Unique Lot Number: 3012

This fully handmade piece is one for the collectors of vintage and Qing Dynasty-style teapots. It is a homage to vintage Qing pieces often offered by auction houses and prized in Taiwan / Hong Kong, typically small zhuni pieces made for gongfu cha.

The artist is a veteran craftsman who worked in the former Yixing Factories (run by the Xia family patriarch), now mostly retired and only working on small studio commissions for the Xia Family Studio.

This is a super thin-walled piece handmade with Zhuni from Huanglong Shan, with a single-hole filter and fast pour. It is a variation on the classic Dragon's Egg or Pear shapes, with a flattened cap that lends it a more poised, stable look. Such thin walls are especially challenging to execute in Zhuni as they are prone to cracking in the kiln, however when done well, they allow for fast heat-transfer and cooling. Thus, this pot is particularly good for young sheng, delicate oolongs and other teas that are sensitive to over-steeping. 

The seal reads 荆溪宝玩 Jing Xi Bao Wan -- Jing Xi (sometimes spelled Jinqi in Taiwan) being the olden name of Yixing, while Bao Wan refers to a precious heirloom or collectable piece. This is a very representative style of seal in the Qing Dynasty, typically adorning small pieces designed for gongfu cha practice.