It's tea time!

From China, Japan and Indonesia to Europe and the United States, tea has made an indelible mark on the history of the world. While tea and history have been intertwined for thousands of years, the world’s history with the teapot is much more modern. It is a well-known fact that tea had been consumed for centuries before the first “official” teapot hit the scene around 500 years ago. One reason for the late arrival of the teapot is that tea wasn’t consumed in the manner it is today. Instead of drinking an infusion of the leaves, the Chinese (in the third century) roasted the tea leaves, then pounded them and made the pounded paste into a cake that was then boiled with salt, rice, ginger, orange peel and spices to create a type of soup. This process was refined, and the tea paste was formed into cakes, bricks or tablets, which were then pounded back into powder form prior to use.

  Check out this wonderful teapot. This teapot is made on the porcelain basis and painted with oils. The product is decorated with the Ukrainian folk Petrikov painting. It is included into the World list of cultural heritage of mankind of UNESCO. It is one absolutely magnificent teapot. If you are into teapots, then you should have one of these, definitely!

The Japanese imported the Chinese artists to teach them potting methods, and as a result, according to Yixing.com, “The old province of Bizen became an increasingly important center for Japanese ceramics, where Raku, this rough and dark earthenware, emerged.”

 Lovely Japanese teapot set. One of the people who bought says about this teapot set: '' This thing is literally crafted by the hands of gods.'' And we couldn't agree more. This Beautiful High Quality Porcelain Tea Set come with One Teapot and 4 Teacups This high quality porcelain tea set is the perfect companion for enjoying tea. On the body of the Japanese tea set is calligraphy in Kanji. The tea set includes a teapot (capacity 27 fl oz) and 4 teacups (holds 7oz)

Before tea ever reached the Western world, it spread from China and Japan throughout Asia, reaching Burma and Siam as well as Sumatra and Java. It was, however, the spread of Yixing teapots that not only greatly influenced the forms of others found throughout the world but also prompted the invention of hard paste porcelain in the Western world.

During the 17th century, Europeans were introduced to the beauty of Chinese pottery through the East India Company, which imported the tea and used the pots as ballast in the lower portion of the cargo ships, while the tea was stored above the water line. “Among the earliest porcelain teapots shipped to Europe were pear-shaped pots with straight spouts,” explains Leah Rousmaniere in “Collecting Teapots.” “They were called East India pots or pots from the East Indies.”

Japan KUTANI ( left teapot on the photo above)

A stone monument bearing the inscription "Ko-Kutani kiln ruins" stands quietly in a clearing.

It marks the spot where the Daishouji Clan(a branch of the Kaga Clan)

established a kiln in about 1655,to make use of the local porcelain stone.

Tha porcelain ware that was created there was later called "Ko-kutani"

and became the foundation for Japanese colored porcelain ware.

Rich overglaze colors applied with fluid brushwork -green,yellow,red,purple and blue-

give Kutani porcelain its characteristic beauty.

However,only half a century later the kiln was abandoned for reasons that nobody knows.

About 100 years later,Kutani porcelain was revived under the patronage of the Kaga clan.

The Kasugayama and Wakasugi kilns were established, and kilns such as the Yoshidaya kiln

rode on the momentum of "revived Kutani",all producing overglaze porcelain ware.

Various styles competed and combined to develop into the overglaze techniques

that have been handed down to this day.

In modern times,the gorgeous Kinrande style(very high-quality design of gold)

has become well known in the West as "Japan Kutani"

Kutani porcelain, which combined the artistry of Ko-Kutani ware and the utilitarian

beauty that developed from "revived Kutani",continues to evolve.

Steam Locomotive Hand-Painted Ceramic Teapot ( teapot on the right side of the photo above) - Designed by Tony Carter, master of the novelty teapot, handmade, hand-painted ceramic pot is topped with a billowing cloud of steam and lavishly accented with 22K gold. Holds 4-6 cups. 11"w x 7"h x 5"d. Hand wash. Limited edition. Made in Debenham, Suffolk, England.