This elegant 120 milliliter Yixing teapot is made of Zǐshā (紫砂, "Purple Sand Clay"), famous for its heat retention and its ability to develop a patina with consistent use. The classic Shui Ping shape is one of the most enduring and popular, named for the way that the top of the handle, the mouth of the pot, and the mouth of the spout line up on the same plane. This is a half-handmade pot comissioned by a Taiwanese teapot merchant whose wife is from Yixing, collected by our friend Nathan Davis during his recent visit to Taiwan.
Note that unglazed Yixing teapots such as this one are traditionally dedicated to a single type of tea, because each steeping of tea made in this pot imbues the flavor of the tea into the clay. Sticking to a single type of tea helps to reinforce the character of the clay without confusing the pot with different flavor profiles.