New Yixing pot

[MrFancyPlants]

I received this pot in the mail today. It was a present from my wife for our 10th anniversary. I find it beautiful, but I was wondering if it is really “unglazed” or maybe slip glazed? I like it either way and have been dreaming of getting a hemlock into this style pot for a while now. I think @Leo in N E Illinois turned me on to the idea of a yixing lotus a while back for a hemlock now in a Sara Rayner pot

 

[Hartinez]

I received this pot in the mail today. It was a present from my wife for our 10th anniversary. I find it beautiful, but I was wondering if it is really “unglazed” or maybe slip glazed? I like it either way and have been dreaming of getting a hemlock into this style pot for a while now. I think @Leo in N E Illinois turned me on to the idea of a yixing lotus a while back for a hemlock now in a Sara Rayner potView attachment 458582View attachment 458583

A beauty!! I’ve seen some like this also and may have a tree that would suit this style. I do think it is in fact glazed. But whatever as far as I’m concerned!

 

[Shima]

Not glazed. Burnished. A lovely pot.

 

[Carol 83]

Very nice! Happy Anniversary

 

[Colorado]

Very nice pot! I have a similar one and really like it

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@MrFancyPlants - that is a very nice lotus pot, a practical shape a good color, good for many different trees.

I have a few like that, and @Shima is correct, burnished.

The pot clay body is a terra cotta color clay, then it is carved with its pattern and detail. Then a thin black slip is applied. I'm not clear on timing, but the final step is to burnish the piece, which removes the black from the high points leaving a smooth, polished clay that fires to a very smooth finish.

YiXing carved pot for Cymbidium orchids and or small cascade bonsai

 

[mrcasey]

When working with terra sigillata, I've found that the sheen of burnishing fades once kiln temps push past about cone 05. If these pots are fired to at least mid-range stoneware temperatures, I'd love to know how they do it. If the pots are low fired, I'd be worried about freeze/thaw cycles.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Th

When working with terra sigillata, I've found that the sheen of burnishing fades once kiln temps push past about cone 05. If these pots are fired to at least mid-range stoneware temperatures, I'd love to know how they do it. If the pots are low fired, I'd be worried about freeze/thaw cycles.

Those guys (girls too maybe) at YiXing are tricky, in that their techniques have evolved over centuries. And I know the clay pits there yield some high cone, high quality clay. They are famous for their burnished tea pots and other ceramics, bonsai pots are a
'sideline" for the kilns, or not the main product for the area.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I’ve had this pot outside for a while, and I am starting to think it has been “antiqued” by some sort of waxy finish. Some of the dark areas I can scrape off with a fingernail. I still like the pot, but I’ll leave it out for a while to try and develop a more natural patina.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I think it will fit my “Depot Hemlock” pretty well in the next year or so. Maybe, a hair on the small side.

 

[chicago1980]

I’ve had this pot outside for a while, and I am starting to think it has been “antiqued” by some sort of waxy finish. Some of the dark areas I can scrape off with a fingernail. I still like the pot, but I’ll leave it out for a while to try and develop a more natural patina.

Yes I have seen this on these pots.

It is almost like a show polish, after time areas less and fade.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Yes I have seen this on these pots.

It is almost like a show polish, after time areas less and fade.

That seems accurate. It is still upside-down outside awaiting a more natural patina.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I use my carved YiXing for orchids, and Satsuki, so indoors or well house for winter. Many of YiXing shapes are not good for freeze thaw resistance. If soil mass "locks in" even high quality, high fired clay can be broken by freeze thaw cycling. If shape of pot does not allow expanding soil ball to slide up, if walls of pot are perfectly vertical or bow inward, the pot will break.

A medium to coarse, uniform particle size mix will allow ice to expand into the air voids in the potting media. This is another reason to sift your media, to help prevent pot breakage from freeze- thaw.