Small Teapots

Small teapots made using all types of ceramics are well suited to brewing tea since they are easy to maintain and excellent for heat retention. Since porcelain is the hardest and thinnest ceramic type and offers more design flexibility it is generally preferred for more refined and elegant teapots. Chinese and other Asian cultures have traditionally preferred small teapots which westerners refer to as “personal size teapots,” normally holding 2 cups of liquid. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, workers carried smaller “personal tea pots” to prepare tea throughout the day. Since tea was expensive, they brewed the same whole tea leaves several times storing them in their pots and simply adding hot water for tea breaks. Steeping in smaller pots had many advantages: it assured the tea was hot when poured, allowed maximum use of every leaf, limited bitterness and made brewing more precise since the water was infused with flavor faster and could be drained from the leaves all at once. Small volumes of water also provided more temperature control and allowed the tea to cool quickly for drinking. Drinking tea was and continues to be a very social and calming activity, and small pots encourage fellow imbibers to stay and continue conversation through many short infusions. In China and Japan small porcelain cat-shaped teapots have been very fashionable since the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Showing 1–12 of 15 results

  • Antique Blue and White Porcelain Miniature Teapot, China (4056A-ZOK) $175

    $175.00
    H: 5.25”  W: 4.75”  D: 2.375” | FREE SHIPPING!

    This elegantly shaped small teapot has finely painted cobalt blue chrysanthemum and bindweed designs in the center and upper registers and plantain leaf designs at the bottom, popular underglaze design elements were widely used in late 19th century in domestic and export wares. Below the short neck is a chain of roundels with nineteen spirals, and the lid is covered with bindweed and wave designs, the latter indicating a sea or lake. The lid is topped by a ball handle topped with a four-line star and the bottom has an abstract plantain leaf design. It is in very good condition with two small chips on the lid and a small chip on the end of the spout. The inside has been stained by more than a century of tea brewing.

  • Antique Enamel Yixing Stoneware Teapot, China (1152B-PAR) $365

    $365.00
    H: 2.625”  W: 6.125”  D: 4” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This delicate antique Yixing teapot is unusually shaped with a  loop handle, short spout, flaring rim, small flat cover and small loops below its rim that indicate it may have been used to suspend oil or soy sauce rather than serve tea. Its charm is enhanced by its free hand-painted colored enamels with 6 circular panels containing fanciful and bright floral and leaf decorations. Chinese tea connoisseurs consider Yixing teapots the best vessel for brewing tea as it is naturally porous to absorb oils released during brewing and improves tea’s flavor with continual use. Recommended for display only, it pairs well with 1152A-PAR Enameled Yixing Stoneware Teapot.

  • Antique Enameled Yixing Stoneware Teapot, China (1152A-PAR) $365

    $365.00
    H: 2.625”  W: 6.125”  D: 4” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This delicate antique Yixing teapot is unusually shaped with a  loop handle, short spout, flaring rim, small flat cover and small loops below its rim that indicate it may have been used to suspend oil or soy sauce rather than serve tea. Its charm is enhanced by its free hand-painted colored enamels with 6 circular panels containing fanciful and bright floral and leaf decorations. Chinese tea connoisseurs consider Yixing teapots the best vessel for brewing tea as it is naturally porous to absorb oils released during brewing and improves tea’s flavor with continual use. Recommended for display only, it pairs well with 1152A-PAR Enameled Yixing Stoneware Teapot.

  • Antique Porcelain Cat Teapot, China (16944B-TLE) $145

    $145.00

    This charming antique white glazed porcelain figurine is a cat teapot with a raised paw with removable head for pouring liquid into the vessel and long sinuous tail as a handle to pour liquid from the opening at the end of the paw. The hand painted design is whimsical and colorful with a thin ribbon-like blue collar and a dangling ornamental bow with black accents defining the face, ears, head and paws.

     

  • Antique Signed Meiji Kyo Ware/Kiyomizu Ware Small Teapot, Japan (1136BEM) $265

    $265.00
    H: 4” W: 5.25” D: 3.5” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.

    This delicate Meiji single serving Kyo Ware teapot with a high handle ,like all antique Kyo pieces was hand thrown and hand-painted. This small, striking teapot was fired to create a luminescent beige color with a crackled glaze resulting in a glowing radiance and has the Kiyomizu  kiln seal where it was made on the bottom. The chrysanthemum (kiku in Japanese) in a basket in blue and red on the body and lid symbolizes longevity and rejuvenation. . Production of Kyo ware is limited, making it highly collected worldwide.

  • Antique/Vintage Porcelain Cat Teapot, Chinese Republic (16944A-WLE) $135

    $135.00
    H: 5.5″ W: 3″ D: 3.375″ | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This charming white porcelain cat teapot has a removable head, a long sinuous tail  handle, and an opening at the end of its paw to serve tea. The hand painted design is whimsical and colorful featuring a thin ribbon-like gold collar and dangling ornamental bow and black accents and pink strokes that define the face, eyes, ears, head and paws.

  • Antique/Vintage Porcelain Cat Teapot, Chinese Republic (17022B-ZLK) $135

    $135.00
    H: 7” W: 6.5” D: 3.625” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This glazed white porcelain cat teapot with a raised paw, like most vessels in this genre, has a removable head, a long sinuous tail handle and a raised paw as a spout. The hand painted whimsical and colorful design includes a thin ribbon-like blue collar and an impressive dangling ornamental bow with black accents that define the face, ears, head and paws.
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  • Porcelain Cat Teapot, Chinese Republic (17022A-PLK) $135

    $135.00
    H: 6.5″ W: 6.5″ D: 3.5″ | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This charming porcelain a cat teapot with a raised paw has a removable head to pour liquid into the vessel and a long sinuous tail handle for pouring liquid  from the opening at the end of the paw. The design is whimsical and colorful with a thin green ribbon collar and an impressive dangling ornamental bow with black accents defining the face, ears and head.

  • Porcelain Cat Teapot, Chinese Republic (17022C-GLK) $135

    $135.00
    H: 7”  W: 7”  D: 3.5” | FREE SHIPPING!

    This charming white porcelain cat teapot with a raised paw has a removable head, a sinuous tail handle, a paw spout and a removable head . Beautifully hand-painted whimsical and colorful designs include a thin ribbon-like blue collar, an impressive dangling ornamental bow, and the black accents that define the face, ears, head and paws.

     

  • Porcelain Cat Teapot, Chinese Republic (19420A-JAS) $135

    $135.00
    H: 8”  W: 8”  D: 3.75” | FREE SHIPPING!

    This charming white porcelain Siamese cat teapot has a raised paw for pouring tea,  a removable head for adding water , and a long sinuous tail handle. The beautifully hand-painted design is whimsical and colorful with a thick dark red collar ribbon, a matching ornamental bow, and a ball under its left paw. Black, orange, red and blue accents define the cat’s face, ears, head, paws and the ball.

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  • Porcelain Cat Teapot, Chinese Republic (19420B-UAS) $145

    $145.00
    H: 8” W: 8” D: 3.75” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This charming vintage porcelain cat teapot with raised paw for pouring tea, removable head and a sinuous tail handle is whimsical and colorful with a red ribbon collar, green bow and green, black and red accents defining the expressive face, ears, head and paws, all beautifully hand-painted.

  • Porcelain Cat Teapot, Chinese Republic (19420C-VAS) $135

    $135.00
    H: 7.25” W: 8” D: 4” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This porcelain rotund cat teapot has a raised paw to poured tea, a removable head to add water and long sinuous tail  handle. He is whimsically and finely hand painted with colorful designs: blue for the ribbon-like collar, pink, green, black and blue accents on the face and head and green streaks on its coat and tail.

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