Pearl Teapot (珍珠壶) - 195ml - Zhou Qikun

Artist: Zhou Qikun (周其坤)

Volume: 195ml

Clay: Da Hong Pao, with a kiss of zini

Origin: Yixing, Jiangsu. Acquired in person, 2026.

Description: The Pearl pot (珍珠壶) is named for the small round knob that sits on its lid like a pearl held in the hand. Zhou Qikun is one of the makers whose work we travelled to Yixing to see, and this pot shows why: the line from shoulder to spout is unbroken, the lid sits with almost no play, and the whole piece has the weight of something resolved rather than assembled.

The clay is da hong pao, the top grade of the zhuni and hongni family, warmed here with a small proportion of zini. Dense, iron-rich and high-fired, it holds heat tightly and keeps aroma vivid, which points this pot squarely at yancha and dancong, the teas where fragrance is the whole event.

One of one. We photograph these honestly, and we are glad to answer questions or send more images before you decide.