Celebrate Your Tea with Antique Teapots

The collection of antiques has long been a popular hobby. One of the best known antique collections is that of the teapot. Antique teapots are plentiful and range in size, design and price. Although the selection is wide the choice of certain collections far outweigh the collection of others.

The teapot was originally a vessel in which teas of many nations as well as herbal teas are brewed and enjoyed.

Tea bags were used originally to brew tea in some areas, but in others loose tea has always been the preference. The tea bag was dipped in water that was not boiling, just close.

The recipes normally ask for simmering water. Steeped for three to five minutes and enjoyed. Herbal teas are usually mixed in the water and the tea is poured through a strainer to avoid having free floating tea leaves in your cup.

Antique teapots held the same functions as those that are made today, but the styles are usually very different. Most of the teapots manufactured are fairly standard in design. It consists of a vessel with a long spout attached and a lid.

The lid will usually contain a small opening to allow steam to escape. They are very creative and antique tea pots are one of the most sought after antiques that exist today.

Most antique teapots come with a tea cozy. This is made of fabric and is placed over the teapot to avoid it’s cooling down too quickly.

A lot of antique teapots also come with strainers that are removable. The tea is placed in the strainer and the simmering water is poured over the tea. It is important that the strainer be large enough and the pouring slow enough to allow the dainty tea leaves to tumble in the water and allow a full bodied brew of your favorite flavor.

Purchasing an antique teapot can be tricky. Just about any antique shop you visit will have teapots for sale. Before you plunge into the buying mode, be sure it is an antique. There are many dupes out there who will take your money for a reproduction.

Teapots can be made of ceramic, porcelain, assorted metals, silver, gold and any other material that can be molded or shaped. The Japanese have cast iron teapots that come beautifully decorated, some by hand. The insides are painted to prevent excess rusting, but special care needs to be taken with their handling, washing and drying.

Do your homework before you venture into the antique teapot collecting market. Buying an antique from an internet auction may seem good at first, but often you will be getting a reproduction that is of much lesser value than the authentic model of the same pot.

Certain details are signs. The print on the bottom of a Japanese teapot comes in different colors. Each color designates a different period in time. These are some of the things that you must learn before making your purchase. Be careful and enjoy your teapots. Better still, enjoy your cup of finely brewed tea that will be poured from that pot.