Artist: Shi Wen Jie, National Master of Arts and Crafts Clay: Golden Duanni, Wood-fired Finish Capacity: 165ml Pour Time: 8s Made in Dingshan, Yixing Unique Lot Number: 5025-1, 5025-2
A fully handmade piece in Golden Duanni, which has then been wood-fired to give a beautiful lustrous finish. It is exceedingly challenging to achieve a satisfactory finish on these wood-fired pieces, as the outcome is extremely unpredictable and thus the rejection rate is very high. These pieces have been hand-selected and boast a perfect finish, only achieved by skillful control of firing and a top quality base clay.
The name of this piece can be translated as "Bamboo Fantasy" or "Mystical Bamboo". It is adapted from a traditional shuiping shape, into an organic and stately embodiment of its name. A natural, winding stalk of bamboo curves its way up the side of the pot and circles its way around the surface of the lid, handcrafted most meticulously by Master Shi, who has supreme skill in such flora-inspired adornments.
The classical 流扭把 (spout-knob-handle) evaluation is often used by zisha experts and auction houses: Excellent continuation of form and shape through all three elements -- the spout, knob and handle all echo each other in perfect harmony. The spout is crafted with a subtle organic curvature, which shows the finest mastery of the zisha craftsmanship. The slim raised lid knob is easily grasped and visually uplifts the entire piece, while the sleek handle is in perfect proportion.
The interior boasts a "pushed-in" style filter (内推孔), which although much more difficult to execute, ensures a smooth and even pour.
