Tea for Tuscany

Just returned from a week in Tuscany, near San Gimignano. My son Jago took 1100 pictures see a small selection here

The Walking teapot

The Walking teapot was originally designed by Roger Michell and Danka Napiorkoswka made by Lustre Pottery then by Carlton Ware, it sold in its thousands.
The Walking teapot has been manufactured consistently since 1973 and is now available from Price Kensington in Stoke on Trent, although the quality is poor.
When Carlton Ware went out of business in 1988 Roger continued some collectors editions which were hand made by them in their studio.
None of these have been made by Carlton Ware. Another small pottery oddly named "Rising Hawk" also made some of their
designs notably the "Long John Silver" which was a walking teapot with a wooden leg and a parrot.
History of Lustre pottery teapots

Kamm Teapot

This piece is part of the "Kamm Collection".
Made of carved wood painted with watercolors!!
14" x8" x 8"
2003
Visit Fraser Smiths website

Populo: Hot Lil' Teapot

Populo: Hot Lil' Teapot
Originally uploaded by Loosetooth.com.

Hot Lil' Teapot tea shirts

La-Di-Da: Teapots stir up a tempest!

Sunday, August 28, 2005

By Tom Patterson
The General Assembly's decision to appropriate $400,000 for a teapot museum in Sparta has stirred up a lively debate over public priorities. The project has been criticized as a waste of tax dollars and a flagrant example of pork-barrel spending.
As often happens with controversies about culture, the more outspoken critics appear to be basing their opinions on minimal information. But in this case, it's not hard to understand their concerns. After all, teapots haven't played any significant role in the state's history, and they probably aren't on too many Top 10 lists.
How many people, then, would get excited about looking at a bunch of teapots in a museum?
That's what I casually wondered about a year and a half ago, when I learned that the Mint Museum of Craft + Design in Charlotte was exhibiting a traveling show of teapots.
But I went anyway, and to my great surprise, I was knocked out by what I saw - a wildly diverse selection of highly imaginative, thought-provoking contemporary sculpture with a few complementary historical pieces tossed into the mix.
There were about 250 works in all, and every one was at least loosely based on a standard teapot form. But a number of them could never function as teapots because they were too large to be picked up for pouring.
Titled "The Artful Teapot: 20th Century Expressions from the Kamm Collection," the show represented the work of more than 100 individuals, among them widely known artists and designers, including Raymon Elozua, Michael Graves, Walter Gropius, Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein, Michael Lucero, George Ohr and Cindy Sherman.
More than anything else, it was about the teapot as a point of formal departure for contemporary sculpture commenting on a wide range of personal, social, aesthetic and historic issues.
A few days later, I learned that the show I had seen was from a private collection that some influential arts patrons and community leaders were planning to put on permanent display in Sparta. The collection was assembled over a period of about 25 years by Sonny Kamm, a Los Angeles attorney, and his wife, Gloria.
In its entirety, it is reported to consist of more than 10,000 distinctive teapots, teapot-shaped sculptures and related objects. Valued at more than $5 million, it's reputed to be the largest such collection in the world.
Why do the Kamms want to house it in Sparta?
In a phone interview, Sonny Kamm said that he and his wife had been talking for a while about donating their collection to a museum, but that the tenor of those discussions changed after they received a phone call from Phil Hanes, a Winston-Salem arts patron, in early in 2003.
Hanes owns property in Roaring Gap, near Sparta, and mutual acquaintances had told him about the Kamms' collection and their plans for it. It was Hanes who suggested that they consider sending it to Sparta.
They were skeptical, Kamm said, especially when Hanes told them that Sparta's population was only about 1,800. But he also told them of the town's proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway, on a "crafts corridor" connecting several existing craft and folk-culture centers in North Carolina and Virginia. Hanes predicted that a Sparta museum housing the Kamms' collection would attract tens of thousands of visitors each year.
Hanes persuaded them to come and see Sparta for themselves. During their visit, in the spring of 2003, Kamm said that they were struck by the beauty of the surrounding mountains. They also saw the vacant storefronts and learned of the area's high unemployment rate. Sparta is the seat of Alleghany County, which has a total population of about 10,000. Sparta has lost more than 1,400 manufacturing jobs in recent years.
Kamm said that he and his wife had hoped to put their collection in a place where it might have a positive social impact, and the prospect that it might help enliven Alleghany County's economy appealed to them. Within a few months, they cosigned an agreement with Sparta officials that committed the Kamms to donate their collection and endow the salaries of a museum staff if Sparta could raise the money to build the museum.
Sparta's town council designated New River Community Partners, a local nonprofit organization, to raise $10 million to pay for a 30,000-square-foot museum on a 5.2-acre site in downtown Sparta that has been designated for the project. The fundraising effort is being overseen by Jonathan Halsey, the project manager. Last week, Halsey said that $2 million has been committed toward the project to date, including the recent legislative appropriation.
Last spring, the museum's board of directors hired Jenkins Peer Architects of Charlotte to design the museum. Halsey said that construction is expected to begin in August 2006, and that the museum - to be called the Sparta Museum: Home of the Kamm Teapot Collection - is scheduled to open in 2008.
In citing the potential economic benefits of the proposed museum, Halsey said that it would create 123 new jobs in the community with salaries totaling $2.7 million, and he cited the conclusions of a national research firm's feasibility study of the project. The study concluded that the museum could be reasonably expected to attract about 60,000 visitors to Sparta each year, and that they could be expected to spend about $7.5 million. He said that $537,000 of that amount would go to Alleghany County as tax revenue.
Halsey said he thinks that the decision to put $400,000 in state funds into the museum has been unfairly singled out for criticism. "This is really an economic-development project that we've been carefully planning for over two years," he said. "I think it (the General Assembly) will see a significant return on their investment within the first six months of the museum's opening, in terms of increased visitors and increased visitor expenditures."
Having had a taste of what's in store for visitors to the proposed museum, I share Halsey's enthusiasm, and I'm glad that a small portion of my tax dollars have been designated to help build it.
It's worth emphasizing that this will be more than just a teapot museum. What I've seen of the Kamm Collection shows me that it will be an art museum, with the teapot serving as a kind of quirky, unifying theme. It's art, but it's also exciting and fun.
If that key fact can be adequately conveyed in advertising for the museum, then it might indeed prove successful in all of the ways predicted by its supporters.
Link to original article

teaze

teaze
Originally uploaded by johnno c stelasstar.

Johnno C.Stelasstar during a roaptrip. The cafe was called 'The Teapot'

This time tomorrow....

we'll be in Tuscany!
Soooo....no updates for a week
All good wishes
Andy

Tuscany Orange Spice Black Tea

Warm winds blowing soft kisses across landscapes that ripple with crimson and gold. Orange trees basking in terra cotta pots.
Michelangelo clouds floating over fields ripe with the harvest....
The picturesque Italian country-side inspired Tuscany Orange Spice tea.
A blend of fine imported black teas blended with a rich palette of enchanting flavors.
With each sip, you'll embrace the essence of Tuscany--lavish, indulgent, passionate.
Let your senses paint you there.

Earthenware teapots

teapots
Originally uploaded by roxydynamite.

Examples of earthenware teapots from Chinatown san Fransisco

U.S. senators seek money for teapot project targeted by critics

The Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Republican lawmakers who decried the $400,000 appropriated for the Sparta Teapot Museum may not have known that their counterparts in Washington are trying to secure more money for the project.
One lawmaker questioned whether the state should be spending money on a teapot museum when school teachers were asking for money for basic supplies. StateGovernmentRadio.com reports that U.S. Senators Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr, as well as Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, are trying to gain federal dollars for the museum.
Patrick Woodie, executive director of the lead agency for the development project, says his office has been in touch with the senators regarding the museum, which will be built on a five-acre site in downtown Sparta. It will house more than eight-thousand artist-made teapots, including a collection considered to be the foremost collection of British antique teapots.
(Seth Effron, StateGovernmentRadio.com)
Original article

Weird and Wonderful Teapot Exhibition

Weird and Wonderful Teapot Exhibition co-ordinator Kylie Richards with some wacky teapots. Picture by Stuart Scott

Tourists to pour into Morpeth at tea time
MICHELLE MEEHAN
Thursday, 18 August 2005
From the functional to the fantastic, the exhibition brings together almost 4000 novelty teapots from across Australia and around the world.
It opens today at the Morpeth Gallery and runs from 10am to 5pm every day until August 28, with free entry.
Exhibition co-ordinator Kylie Richards said the idea began 14 years ago as a way of boosting tourism in the historic village.

"The first year it was held we had a grand total of 52 teapots scattered throughout Campbell's Store," she said.

"From there it just grew and grew and now we search right through the year to find teapots."
But it's more than just a simple exhibition, with all the teapots on display for sale.
Ms Richards said collectors from around Australia would fly in for the annual event.
And with everything from teapots shaped like endangered animals, garden gnomes, Disney characters, typewriters and trains, to Miss Universe winners and a wheelbarrow full of vegetables, they're sure to find the perfect addition for their collections.
Teapots range from $5 bargains to $600 one-of-a-kind masterpieces and are sourced from Australia, the UK, America, China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Giant cups and saucers and a collection of novelty tea cosies will feature for the first time, while teapot artists will compete for the Golden Teapot award for the best themed design.
Tea-tasting will also be on offer at Tea Lovers and Coffee for Others in Swan Street.
Original article

Vipoo Srivilasa Tea Set

002teapot
Vipoo Srivilasa Tea Set
(teapot, sugar bowl, milk jug and a cup )
Earthenware
Hand built and press moulded, with coloured glazes
Mermaids pet teapot

http://www.vipoo.com/article/english/mermaids_pet.htm

Adam and Eve Teapot

"adam and eve" by Matthias Ostermann
2002, 10.5"h x 10"d
earthenware with clay sgraffito

"Tuscany Tea Service", by Randy Long

"Tuscany Tea Service", by Randy Long
1990
Teapot - 8" h x 7.5" w x 4.625 "d
Sterling Silver, marble, wood with gold leaf, 18 kt gold; Smithed and fabricated forms with roller printed texture. Carved and laminated marble.
"Tuscany Teas Service was inspired by an evening stroll in the town of Orvietto, Italy. As I emerged from a narrow street onto the piazza, I was stunned by the drama of the full moon suspended between the stripped marble walls of the cathedral and an enormous cypress tree."
This is rather appropriate as we are off to Tuscany for a family holiday next week!

Elvis Presley Teapot

Elvis Presley
Ceramic Teapot
Limited edition of 2400 pieces.
Measures 6 3/4" x 4" x 7 1/4"
more details

Wensleydale Cheese Teapot (NEW 2005)

Wensleydale Cheese Teapot (NEW 2005)
Limited Edition of 1,500 at £44.95 from The Teapottery
There's no whey you curd resist this great piece of Wensleydale!

World's largest collection of teapots!

The world's largest collection of teapots is causing some controversy!
Millions of dollars within the $17.2 billion North Carolina state budget are being spent on projects like museums and entertainment venues.
Many area residents see such spending as wasteful.
Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, a Rockingham County Republican, said the budget contained so much pork that, if set aflame, it would smell like bacon. It includes an appropriation for the museum in the Alleghany town of Sparta.
"How do we justify $400,000 for a teapot museum," Berger said. "How do you think that plays out there?"
Carolyn Simms of Wendell took her grandchildren to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh on Thursday. Although she like the free admission there state taxpayers foot the bill she isn't as enamoured of the state spending $400,000 on a new teapot museum in Sparta.
"I would not go to see a teapot!" Simms said.

A calming cuppa stops Peter going potty

The past 12 months have sent Maitland businessman Peter Hilder potty.
It's not the state of the economy that has earned the Town Pools owner the tag however, but the growing collection of teapots in his office.
Nearing 70 and still expanding, the collection sprang from a simple desire a year ago to find some new containers for his ferns.
"I had this one fern in my office that looked like it was in a teapot and I thought it would be great if I could transplant some more into actual teapots," he said.
"I went and bought half a dozen teapots, but the girls (in the office) said they looked too good to break up for fern pots so I put them on a shelf instead.
"It's great fun, it's bright and colourful and a wonderful talking point for my customers.
"I'd say we'might be the only pool company in Australia with its own teapot collection."
But it's not just Mr Hilder who is proud to be potty.
Thousands of people converge on Morpeth for two weeks every year for the Weird and Wonderful Novelty Teapot Festival at the Morpeth Gallery.
The festival features a staggering 3524 teapots from around Australia and across the world, with all pots for sale. It will open on August 18.
Mr Hilder's fascination with teapots has prompted him to build three shelves in his office to accommodate the collection, which includes pots with legs, miniature pots no bigger than a thumb and pots shaped like elephants and chickens.
But it's the teapots with the holes in the middle that have really piqued his curiosity.
"They seem to go against the whole principle of a teapot, which is to keep the tea warm," Mr Hilder said.

New Tony Carter Collectors Club Teapot

Collectors Club No.7 - Club Gift 2004-2005
Click for more details on the Collectors Club
Join the Carter's Collectors Club

Venus & Mars teapot

Venus & Mars is a teapot with a difference, a collaborative venture by Richard Parrington and Katy Windsor. Over the years we’ve often talked about producing a new teapot design, on a small scale, especially as there is still great interest by the collectors for something new by Parrington Designs. However, we felt that most 'themes' had been exhausted. That was until January this year 2005, when we decided to make a new design, based on a detail of a Renaissance painting by Andrea Mantegna, Parnassus, an allegory of Mars, the God of war and Venus, the Goddess of love. Venus and Mars has an anticipated limited run of 80 pieces and a price of £265.00

Alan Titchmarsh teapot

Limited edition of 4,000
The gardener's favourite, in growing demand!
This beautiful hand-crafted teapot is presented in a lovely gift box, gift wrapped in blue tissue paper and includes a very special certificate of authenticity signed by Mr Alan Titchmarsh himself!
Price: £44.95

Teapot Dimensions:
Height: 17cms
Width: 24.5cms
more details

Morrissey Teapot

Morrissey Teapot made by Gary Seymour

The handle is the machine gun at the back, the lid is in the quiff.

Limited Edition: 30
Height: 31cm
Width: 19cm
Depth: 30cm
Jacket Colour: Black or Faded Denim
Price: £175 (US$315) plus carriage
more details

Tea for two

Tea for two
Originally uploaded by ranjit.

Teapot and Teacups ride at Astro land Coney Island Brooklyn

Measham Ware "Titcomb" teapot

Here is an old teapot with a Titcomb connection!...it was made for Ada Titcomb.
The writing on it says to Mrs Titcomb a present from Mrs
Sherbatt 1892.
It is Measham ware produced in Oxfordshire.
Thanks to Ron Lalley for bringing this to my attention

MUFFLED TEAPOT, c. 1980 car exhaust teapot!

MUFFLED TEAPOT, c. 1980
Collection of the Burlington Art Centre.
Donated by Mr. Herbert O. Bunt, 1985.

24.8 x 14.4 x 29.7 , raku clay, glaze

Unglazed raku fired teapot made in the shape of a car muffler [exhaust]; handle formed by bending connecting pipe around and attaching it in the middle of the cylinder complete with huge nut; environmental statement.

Fairy Infusion teapot bronzed version

Fairy Infusion Limited Edition

Those of you who joined us at the recent Signing Day saw this fantastical design was presented in several different decorated hues.

You will note that Paul has now formally made up his mind and has gone with the fabulous “bronzed” version.

The photography faithfully represents the enormous detail in the modelling of the piece, which is a verdant riot of flowers and fairies, standing some 14” high and 12” wide from handle to spout.

This beautiful sculpture is part of a limited edition of just 99 pieces of which over twenty have already been ordered virtually sight unseen. The price of each sculpture is £199.00 plus £7.00 postage and packing.

Wallace and Gromit tea caddy

Due to be released later this year by Paul Cardew.Unique Tea Caddy in the same style as the "Van Teapot", depicting Wallace and Gromit in their van.

Wallace and Gromit on pumpkinTeapot

Unique Wallace and Gromit Teapot with both characters sitting on the top of a giant Pumpkin, drinking a cup of tea made by Paul Cardew

Wallace and Gromit teapot

Due to be released later this year by Paul Cardew.Unique Wallace and Gromit Teapot in the design of Wallace sitting in an armchair enjoying a fresh cup of tea.

Teapot car

Teapot car
Originally uploaded by jkparker.

teapot car Halifax water front 2001

Gas Station Zillah, WA

Gas Station Zillah, WA
Originally uploaded by Seth Gaines.

Built in Zillah Washington to 'honour' the Teapot Dome scandal

Teapot Fountain

Fountain Close-up
Originally uploaded by caliban23_.

A close up of the water feature at Super Cao Nguyen in Oklahoma City.

Teapot

PICT0048
Originally uploaded by LongView.

Teapot for sale in Pikes Market Downtown Seattle

Teapots Pikes Market

PICT0047
Originally uploaded by LongView.

Teapots for sale in Pikes Market Downtown Seattle

Red Hot Ceci Pot

Red Hot Ceci Pot
Originally uploaded by bru76.

Ceci and her teapot shaped bag!

Tea a Magazine

A consumer quarterly magazine all about tea, both as a beverage and for its cultural significance in art, music, literature, history, and society.
Take a Journey Around the World with
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Feather Teapot made by Virginia Graham

Virginia Grahams ceramics are curiously British, eccentric creations that are far removed from the purely functional. A collection of tea wares, vases and vessels inspired by a bygone era. Combining florals with stripes and spots, feathers with taps and keys to create a look that is modern, unique and nostalgic.

Sky Kingdom's teapot crushed

THE giant teapot and other key structures at the Sky Kingdom commune near Besut, Terengganu, came tumbling down yesterday.
Bulldozers and heavy machinery were sent in to tear down all the structures as part of the crackdown on the sect.
Photos BERITA HARIAN, THE NEW PAPER, HARIAN METRO

Adrian Arleo teapot

"I see my teapots as being little narrative dramas. The teapot form and size encourages a playfulness and spontaneity, in comparison to my larger sculpture. It's satisfying, in composing the pieces, to figure out which parts of the human anatomy will make up the lid, the handle, the spout, and how much volume to give the "belly". There is also an intimacy about the scale that draws the viewer in. Within the intimacy, there is a tension between the figures, and an ambiguity of the relationships. There are active and passive players; some are more sexually charged, others more domestic. Some appear humorous, while others appear slightly menacing. Like a form of short story, the open-ended-ness of the narrative causes one to wonder, and invites interpretation."

- Adrian Arleo, 2001

Teapot made by Hayne Bayless

Hayne Bayless is a full time studio potter. He established his own pottery, Sideways Studio, in 1990
and has taught many workshops around the USA. Haynes work is represented by several
galleries including The Blue Heron Gallery, Deer Isle, ME and The Works Gallery, Philadelphia, PA.