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Antique Teapots & Aged Tea.
Antique teapots have a certain beauty that truly makes them unique. To think that you are drinking out of a teapot that came from the Ming Dynasty can make one feel very special. Not only is the design of the teapot very unique, it also has a lot of history attached to it.
However, not all of these antique teapots are for use. Check with your buyer if they are either collectible, or functional, or both. You wouldn't want to ruin your teapot!
These teapots can be really expensive. Some come from the Qing Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, The Republic of China, etc. Most of them bear a seal which indicates that the item is truly authentic. However, some do not bear a seal and this may question how authentic the object is. At that point, you can only rely on the honesty of the supplier and your knowledge on these teapots. If you are not sure, you could always consult someone who is an expert in the domain and see what they say.
Values can vary widely depending on sale venue, geographical location and condition of the teapot. Some suppliers will show a picture of the teapot with a price. But others might not show you the price. If that is the case, you have to contact them and request the price and any other information that they might have on the teapot that interests you.
Aged teas.
Aged tea of excellent quality is very sought after by connoisseurs. Some teas are a hundred years old while others are thirty years old. Where these aged teas were cultivated and from what historical time period they come from is very important to connoisseurs.
Just like antique teapots, aged teas are expensive. The older they are, the more expensive. Some can be sold for hundreds of dollars the ounce.
Also, the older the tea is, the stronger the taste might be. So if you are not a fan of strong tea, you might want to stay clear of some aged teas such as aged pu-erh tea.
Don't forget that aged tea does not mean that it has to be 30 years old to quality. You could very well have a tea from a 2002 crop be called an aged tea.
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