Collecting is not a simple matter, and the same goes for collecting purple clay pots. The reason why expert collectors are considered such is that they see potential for appreciation and growth.
Art investment is a very laborious and time-consuming endeavor. By the way, regardless of what type of collectibles, please make sure to find reliable channels. Due to the unique practical and aesthetic value of purple clay pots, collecting often stems from affection, leading to ‘collecting' or ‘investment'.
To become an expert in collecting purple clay pots, one must avoid these common pitfalls.
Buying Pots Based on the Maker's Mark
The term “maker's mark” refers to pots made by famous artisans. Famous artisans are the contemporary ‘brands' of purple clay pots, representing the standard of craftsmanship. The prevalence of imitations in the market today is due to two factors: all collectors have an extreme pursuit of famous artisans, and most people still have vague criteria for evaluating purple clay pots, indirectly fostering a market for imitations.
There are many pots on the market with Gu Jingzhou's maker's mark at the bottom, but if collectors could start by carefully understanding the clay and craftsmanship of the pot, there would be no need to consider the “maker's mark.” Instead, they could quickly determine the authenticity.
▲ Gu Jingzhou's Maker's Mark
In fact, collectors should not solely focus on masters like “Gu Jingzhou” and “Jiang Rong,” insisting on only top-tier pieces. When buying a pot, the first thing to look at is the clay and shape, the maker's mark does not tell much about the pot. Some imitation pots have good workmanship and clay, which can also be valuable. Focusing too much on the maker's mark is easy to fall for, assuming a pot with a master's stamp is genuine and thus falling into a price trap.
▲ Fake Gu Jingzhou Pot
Over-Emphasizing Colorful and Fancy Designs
Some newcomers to pot collecting particularly like purple clay pots with various colors and complex shapes, or pots with engravings covering the body, assuming that the pot becomes more valuable with the engravings. This is indeed misleading. Truly great works, those that are both aesthetically pleasing and practical, are often more restrained and simple in appearance, much like a beautiful woman who needs little makeup. If you feel it's monotonous, add appropriate calligraphy or painting as embellishment in suitable places.
For collectors who overly emphasize colorful and fancy designs, some unscrupulous producers add chemicals to the clay to meet people's aesthetic demands, producing dyed purple clay pots. These pots may have bright colors, but when used for brewing tea, they produce an odd smell. Dyed purple clay pots are unsuitable for tea brewing and do not hold high value.
Buying Without Clear Purpose
Before buying a pot, one should have a clear purpose: is it for everyday use or for collection? Is it intended for brewing Pu'er tea or Tieguanyin?
Pots for everyday use are typically around 250cc in size. For brewing Pu'er tea, the pot body can be larger, and the clay color can be darker, with a size range of 250cc to 300cc. For brewing Tieguanyin, the pot should allow faster Pouring, so it should be shorter, with lighter clay color, and a size range of 150cc to 250cc. People in Yixing prefer local black tea and generally choose larger pots, between 250cc to 300cc. Of course, when starting out, you can gradually learn and progress step by step.
Focusing on Clay Over Artistry
When choosing a purple clay pot, the quality of the clay is crucial, but while the clay is important, the overall quality of the pot, including its shape, craftsmanship, and other factors, should also be considered – this means focusing on both the clay and the artistry.
A high-quality purple clay pot, based on good clay, must also possess a well-proportioned shape, excellent craftsmanship, appropriate decoration, and a well-considered maker's mark, as well as proper firing. Additionally, it should be convenient to use. Excellent usability includes the right weight and capacity, a handle that is comfortable to grip, and a spout that allows smooth pouring.
According to the special requirements of purple clay pot craftsmanship, the overall feeling should be harmonious and balanced. These are basic requirements for the craftsmanship of purple clay pots.
Complex Shapes Are More Valuable
Even for works by the same artisan, it's not necessarily true that complex shapes are more valuable than simpler ones. Some collectors believe that segmented and floral designs have greater collection value than plain ones, which is incorrect. The value of a pot mainly depends on the artist and the artistic merit. Whether the pot itself has special significance is also an important factor to consider.
Focusing on Age Over Artistic Merit
Many people think that older purple clay pots are better, specifically seeking out old or antique pots. This has led to widespread faking in the purple clay pot market. There are mainly two methods of faking: one is to age the surface of the clay, either by rubbing shoe polish to give the appearance of frequent handling, creating an aged look, or using strong acids to artificially age the pot; the other method is to coat the pot with white cement and then soak it in water to create the illusion of an excavated item.
In reality, the key to assessing the collection value of a purple clay pot lies in its artistic merit, not necessarily in its age. One of the biggest taboos in collecting purple clay pots is being too cheap. New collectors should not consider works by famous artists but rather their own spending level and financial capacity.
Excessively Pursuing Antique Pots
New pots are not necessarily inferior to old ones. In terms of artistic value, aside from a few ancient masterpieces, most old purple clay pots were made for daily use. Early pots with high craftsmanship and aesthetic appeal were relatively rare, and complete and well-documented antique pots are even rarer.
Purple clay pots are handcrafted items, and modern craftsmanship is much better than in the past. Whether in terms of refining the clay, making the pot, or firing it, the modern social and market environment requires high standards for the pot. More importantly, identifying modern purple clay pots is much easier than identifying antique ones.
Instead of expending effort to seek out antique pots, collectors might as well buy masterpieces by contemporary artists, which have greater potential for appreciation. Especially for beginners entering the world of collecting, it's best to look for up-and-coming artists and start with the works of modern purple