What’s the reason why people do collect Teapots?

In “Ceramics Monthly” Leslie Ferrin writes: “Why teapots? Why not other standard ceramic forms - vases, platters, pitchers or bowls? In part it’s because teapots are multidimensional objects steeped in world culture and ceramic history. Also, the form makes its stand at the intersection of the art versus craft debate, probing limits in both directions, at times simultaneously. For the potter, making a teapot provides complex challenges that are often cited as the most difficult to overcome. As the various parts (body, lid, handle, spout and foot) are assembled, each maker must solve technical difficulties while deciding on design, proportion and decoration. Teapots are likely to be the objects with which both potters and clay sculptors demonstrate the heights of their creative and technical skills.

A Teapot with floral DesignCollectors have responded in kind. As they have purchased and assembled collections unified by one idea, ceramists have been encouraged to produce even finer examples. But it has taken more than just the physical teapot to encourage this specialized direction in collecting. Many are first drawn to the form by the philosophy embodied by the cultural concept of tea.”
 
Definition of a TeapotA teapot is a vessel used for steeping tea leaves or a herbal mix in near-boiling water. Tea may be either in a tea bag or loose, in which case a tea strainer will be needed to catch the leaves inside teapot when the tea is poured. Teapots usually have an opening with a lid at their top, where the tea and water are added, a handle for holding by hand and a spout through which the tea is served.
Russian Malevich Constructivism Teapot
(Courtesy of treasuresfromrussia.com)Some teapots have a strainer built-in on the inner edge of spout. A small hole in the lid is necessary for air access inside to stop the spout from dripping and splashing when tea is poured. In modern times, a tea cosy may be used to enhance the steeping or to prevent the contents of the teapot from cooling too rapidly. A tea connoisseur will warm the teapot by rinsing it with boiling water and then draining it completely before making tea.The History of the Teapot

The teapot probably derived originally from the ceramic kettles and wine pots which were made in bronze and other metals and were a feature of Chinese cultural life for thousands of years. The earliest example of a teapot that has survived to this day seems to be the one in the Flagstaff House Museum of Teaware: It has been dated to 1513 and attributed to Gongchun.

A Chinese Zisha teapot - “Melon” 

From the end of the 17th century tea was shipped from China to Europe as part of the export of exotic spices and luxury goods. The ships that brought the tea also carried porcelain teapots. The majority of these teapots were painted in blue and white underglaze. Porcelain being completely vitrified will withstand sea water without damage, so the teapots were packed below deck whilst the tea stayed on top in the dry.

Tea drinking in Europe was initially the preserve of the upper classes since it was very expensive. Porcelain teapots were particularly desirable because porcelain could not be made in Europe at that time. It wasn’t until 1765 that William Cookworthy devised a way of making porcelain and founded a works at Plymouth UK for the production of a porcelain similar to the Chinese. When European potteries began to make their own tea wares they were naturally inspired by the Chinese designs.

How to take of your Teapot

Unglazed teapots are recommended not to be washed in a dishwasher or soapy water. They should be rinsed with warm water only and left upside down to dry. If unglazed teapot is used with different teas, it is advisable not to mix them and have dedicated teapots for every tea variety to preserve the taste. Natural tannin sediment in an unglazed teapot should be left untouched as over time it will enhance the flavouring without flaking off as in a glazed teapot. To remove build-up of tannin in a glazed teapot one can use boiling water and a couple teaspoons of baking soda and leave it overnight, then wipe and rinse to desired state.

Which Teapots should be collected? 

If you plan to start a Teapot collection, you’ll rapidly notice that there are so many different kinds of these, that it will be difficult to make the right choice. Leslie Ferrin: “Teapot collections vary in content and can include antique, folk art and commercially produced ware, as well as studio work. Limitations, such as price or size, may serve to eliminate some objects from consideration, yet focus the collection in meaningful ways. Some collectors choose only a few artists to collect in depth, acquiring a spectrum of an individual’s pots over the years, documenting his/her growth and changes. Others respond to painted/decorated content or subject matter - humor, narration and color. There are those who are only interested in artists whose work is considered more sculptural than functional, and vice versa.
The art of collecting is by nature subjective, and the subjectiveness of the teapot is endless. The ultimate teapot may be sought but never found.”

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Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teapot
Leslie Ferrin in “Ceramics Monthly”, September, 1992