Help Me Find the Perfect Teapot

I had Brown Betty, the large brown classic English Rockingham stoneware teapot that tends to now cost about $60. The perfect teapot, and I found it at a thrift store for under $5. It turned up broken a few days after my cleaners had been here, but it was under the pot rack - I could have broken it (maybe...) without noticing, so I have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

In any case, I've checked QVC, and Target online, and Japantown in SF, and the Vermont Country Store catalog, Ten Thousand Villages online, and have been looking everywhere else I can think of since the tragedy a couple of months ago, but so far nothing really wonderful and under $50 has turned up. That's my price point - but I will spend more for absolute fabulosity. I actually ordered a beautiful red teapot from pottery barn, but when it arrived it turned out to be earthenware, which chips far to easily to be acceptable, so it went back.

Here are the criteria: generous sized, classic old-school but not upper-upper class - no Limoges Frenchified Toile florals. English or Asian looking would be nice but not esential, maybe blue and white or brown - even red. I do like Art Deco and Moderne 50's style. I've had the Fiestaware revival model in the past, but that round handle is uncomfortable to hold when the pot is full. If I can't find what I want for under $50 soon, I might actually splurge for that absolutely stunning streamlined "Alladin" vintage revival model by Hall (I think)...but what color? It's $80.
The teapot of my dreams should also be hard ceramic - not earthenware.

Have you got any other ideas for finding the perfect teapot??? Any websites? Catalogs? Vintage or Asian kitchenware shops in the Bay Area?

Thanks!

[Lori SF]

Lead free and cannot beat the price-
http://www.customcozies.com/Teapots.html

I lost an old teapot at about exactly the same time I was running out of
tea so I ordered one out of the Upton tea catalogue while I was buying
some tea. It's earthenware, but I've been banging the heck out of it for
almost six years now with no chips at all. As soon as this one goes, I'm
getting another.

Link: http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/item...

Cookin'
Divisidero between Oak and Page, SF
Used cookware galore, kind of pricey but worth a check. Closed Mondays. Tell Judy I say hi.

You're right! I haven't been in there in years. When she first opened, I was appalled at the prices, but since I'm talking about spending $50 - $80 on a splurge indulgence teapot, I doubt she's got anything much more expensive than that. Thanks!

I'm admittedly biased but I really like my Iwachu cast-iron teapots. They're precision-cast iron, come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colours and styles(not all Japanese), and are virtually unbreakable. They even come with a matched stainless strainer for loose teas.

Where does one find the iron pots at the best price?
Also, don't you have to boil a whole lot of water - like first you have to heat the pot itself, then pour out the water and add the tea water? This being because the heavy pot would absorb so much of the heat from the water right away that you need to heat it up first before actually adding the tea water, or can you heat the pot itself on the stove? Seems like a lot longer wait for one's early tea in the morning.

The iron pots don't need any more water than regular pots -- I just pour a little bit of hot water into them and pour that out to warm them up beforehand, the same w/ my regular pots. They are also much better at retaining heat than my non-iron tea pots, so my tea stays warmer longer which I really like. I don't heat the pot on the stove, I think that may damage the design.

probably not very helpful, but entertaining: George Orwell's take on the perfect cup of tea (yes, he discusses the type of pot and cup too):

http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/essa...

I have wanted one of the beehive teapots below but haven't sprung for one yet.The large round on the upper left. You can do a search for them onlinethey are all over.

Link: http://www.tributetea.com/teapots.asp

YES! YES! YES! The vast majority of very modern design that's so popular now (De Young museum, Frank Gehry, the back to the early 60's Dick Van Dyke Show interiors and housewares) gives me trendy chartreuse green vertigo, but THIS very modern teapot is exquisitely beautiful. I've seen it in some upscale shops in SF - but always in a small size. Too small for me. But these lovely teapots you are showing me do come in decent sizes. I'm so picky. The design I like the best is the "medium". It's more graceful than the "large". But it's not big enough. The other ones that are big enough and that also have an interesting design unfortunately only come in white or charcoal, and I'd want to get one of those more provocative colors, really, like "marine" or "carrot". I guess the best choice combining the best design, color choice, and large capacity is the "large" style one.

OK, since you found them, which ones are your own favorite designs and colors (capacity of the "large" or more)?
Thanks!

I prefer a large teapot. My original teapot is half of an old drip o lator coffepot bought on ebay but I took the drip part off and just used the very beautiful bottom. It's similar to the link below.IT's big and it lasts awhile and what is left over I just make into iced tea later on. I like the charcoal in the beehive pot though...really cool texture on the glaze. I like a large pot of tea but even the so called large pots only really make too mugs full. I guess I am using a big mug..oh well. What can I say except that I really enjoy tea. Good luck,Richie

Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/Art-Deco-Hall-Tul...

Your drip-o-lator is absolutely beautiful! I agree the Bee House mottled charcoal glaze is very elegant. Perhaps I should get that in the jumbo sized (48 oz.), because although that "large" sized one would be so attractive in one of the pretty colors, you are correct, it's not REALLY large. I think my own mug holds 16 ounces, which means I couldn't get 2 full servings out of the "large" (28 oz.) model.

Okay, I have over 100 teapots in my collection and only use a few of them. Actually, I prefer the brown betty type, and have never had any trouble finding one. I live in Canada (formerly part of the Empire) so that could explain it. There is nothing wrong with new teapots, since they are made by the same companies as produced them in Victorian times. Here are my criteria for a perfect tea pot:
1. Made of ceramic
2. At least 6 cup size
3. Rounded bulbous type bowl
4. Long spout, beginning near the bo
bottom of the pot
5. Tea cosy

The higher you hold the pot over the cup when you are pouring the less likely you are to spill tea.

Try the wonderful web site for William Ashley for China ceramics, glass and other great things. They ship.

I just googled it and all I got was ebay. Then I tried www.williamashleyceramics.com - nothing. Do you have a link or a web address you could give me for William Ashley Ceramics?
Thanks.

http://www.williamashley.com/

I'm a bit confused. I did a quick google search for Brown Betty Teapot and the prices I saw coming back were not in the $60 range (more like 1/2 that price). Are the ones that I saw reproductions of the true BB teapot? Which site sells the "real" one for the $60 range?

My source for that price is the Vermont Country Store catalog ("purveyors of the practical and hard to find"). It's an excellent resource for high-quality authentic old-school style products, including kitchenware and foods.

Here's the blurb on this teapot: "Rockingham Teapots from England. Where they know how to make the best tea. Generations of tea connoisseurs have declared that this teapot, made in Stoke-on-Trent, England, makes the best pot of tea in the world. Each is formed in a classic shape that not only gives the pot a pleasing heft,and durability, but also causes the tea leaves to swirl when boiling water is added, creating an infusion of flavor. Glazed inside and out for a distinctively rich luster. Because each piece is handcrafted, they will vary slightly. Dishwasher safe. 2 cup size: $35. 6 cup size: $55. Colors: blue, yellow, cream.
(note: they used to have the, to my mind, most classic brown - but no more - N.R.) You can see an illustration at www.vermontcountrystore.com

You can get a Rockingham 6 C. Brown Betty at http://www.marktwendell.com/BrownBett... for $35.95. Sadler is also a well known maker of BB teapots. I have had the same one since 1969 and it brews excellent tea. They are made in Staffordshire County where Stoke-on-Trent and the rest of the "potteries" are.

This is the perfect type of item to browse for on Ebay.

My one ebay escapade was totally disasterous. After finding the perfect set of bakelite flatware listed at 99 cents, I bid $5. Apparently I was not alone. SOMEBODY kept bidding it up 99 cents in response to my $5 increases over a several day period, during which I could think of little else. Then silence. Nothing. The days crawled by, as I labored under a compulsion to keep checking my email to see if I had been outbid by 99 cents yet again. But all was strangely quiet as the deadline approached. Of course, you already know how this ends...like a minute before the auction closed my nemesis blew me out of the water with a down-to-the-wire sneak attack. Was I ever steamed! Add that I was somehow mentally traumatized by this week-long stress marathon. After swearing I would never deal with ebay again, I started getting several advertisements from them a day. I finally had to cut ebay off for good with my spam-blocker because they never responded to any of my complaints.

Ha Ha. I did get the last laugh, though. A couple of months after this debacle I found an even better set of flatware and was able to trade some stuff for them that I didn't even want any more. Net outlay of cash: zero.

There's a lesson here. I'm just not sure what it is.

You might want to give ebay another try. I've bought many things over the years, including lots of fiestaware, at great quality and prices. Many of the auctions have a "buy it now" feature for those who are adverse to the idea of being outbid on an item (although, to me, the bidding at the last minute and "stealing" the item away from less competative bidders is half the fun!)

Link: http://search.ebay.com/search/search....

Was that YOU who out-bid me by 99 cents on a bakelite flatware set a couple of months ago?
Just kidding...but on the strength of your interest in Fiestaware, I'd say we have similar taste in kitchenware. So, if you know anywhere I can find these kinds of items at decent prices without dealing with ebay, I'd love to hear about it.
Thanks!

Well, you're right: it's a risk. There's a level of trust required that the other party will deal in good faith, and sometimes they disappoint you. But Ebay is popular for a reason, which is that the vast majority of the time things go exactly as they should.

I fall into that demographic. I have had a few clunkers among the many times I've given it a try. Just use good sense, consider the price and justify if the savings is worth the possible hassle.

I've bought several bone china pieces to finish off my set at a fraction (and I mean, miniscule fraction) of retail. And thank goodness I had this option, because my pattern is hard to find.

Good luck to you in your quest.

thebritishshoppe.com has tea pots and many other imports they have traditional brown bettys in 2,4,6 &8 C. sizes.

A quick search on ebay for "Brown Betty Teapot" brought up many for under $50.

Here's a website page of ceramic teapots. My current favorites at home are both ceramic. One is a 6-8 cup Brown Betty type purchased at Surfas restaurant supply for about $8.00. The other is a more stylized celadon colored pot, iirc by Beehive, which was about $30

Link: http://www.kitchenkapers.com/ceteapoa...

Asian markets are great places to pick up plain white ceramic teapots that are practically indestructible and cost in the range of $5-10.

I have one of those, too, but I like my Brown Betty type (which happens to be blue) and the other better. The white ceramic one comes out when I make a large pot of tea, and keep it hot on a tea warmer (a little stand which holds the pot over [what else?] a tea light).

This is a great site! thanks for posting this teapot page. These pots are very attractive and the prices are very reasonable, indeed. Are the teapots to which you refer, that you prefer yourself, on this page you have linked?
Thanks!

The Brown Betty is pretty much the same, although I think I got a steal at $8.00. My other favorite was purchased at a tea shop in Pasadena, Chado, and is similar to the I-Pots displayed on some of the sites I've seen, although mine is an interesting rectangular shape, with a wire mesh strainer.

Yes, I agree, you cannot beat Brown Betty. It is the god of teapots. What is an I-pot? I just looked at the Chado tearoom site teapots and I don't see any that look rectangular. If you check it out I'd like to hear which one you have. Both the stainless steel and the squat japanese looking style glass one are cute.

See my post above. Mine is made by BeeHouse. They make a 23 oz. square pot.

In looking at the teapots, I found that the one I have and like is BeeHouse, not Beehive (dope slap here). Google Beehouse and you'll find plenty of sources.