Teapots are wonderful objects to collect, use and display. They’re beautiful, quirky, and practical, if you happen to love tea. They can be the centerpiece or a lovely addition to a social gathering made possible by the terrific tradition of Afternoon Tea. However, teapots can be pricey. That’s why I am always on the look out for teapots when shopping thrift stores, garage sales and estate sales. The teapot shown above is a fine porcelain made by Lenox. Found this at a Humane Society Thrift store. It was about $10.00 but in beautiful condition with a lovely basketweave background and beautiful curved handle.
Found this hand thrown pottery teapot on the left, also at a thrift store for about $5.00. It was whimsical and charming and I could immediately envision it at an Alice in Wonderland tea party.
The teapot on the right was found for under $1.00 and is an Yixing Teapot made from purple clay in China’s Jiangsu Province. This one has a frog on the lid surrounded by moving frogs’ eggs. Sounds terrible but is really cute.
The pot on the left is beautifully decorated with branches in blossom and a winged bird on an earth colored background. My most recent purchase from an estate sale.
The teapot on the right was from the same estate sale and now has a prominent place in my home. I will be using them very soon for a tea party.
The beautiful white teapot in the picture on the left came from a little thrift shop that was new to me. They had some great things. The teapot is a Red Cliff Ironstone teapot made in Chicago and probably from the 1980’s. The company is now out of business. The pot was $7.00 and in perfect condition.
Other pots that are fun to collect are English Character Teapots. They often depict scenes from everyday life of a century or so ago. This one is a golf scene and would make a great gift for a golfer friend. They are generally very colorful and a little quirky. This one was $3.00.
Found this Italian teapot for under $5.00. Very colorful and holds a lot of tea. I liked this one because it would still work with white dishes but you can pick up some of the colors to accent your
tablescape.
This is a great cast iron teapot that comes with a built-in infuser so very practical as well. Really enjoy using this one and keeps the tea really hot. $6.00 at the thrift store.
I have noticed that prices for teapots are on the rise. What I paid $5.00 for a year ago is priced at $15 – $20 now. However, there are still bargains out there. You just have to be willing to look. As always, never buy anything that is chipped or cracked. Make sure you check the inside of the pot and check the part of the lid that is not visible from the outside. These will sometimes have chips or cracks and you won’t see it until you get home. Ask to have the tape holding the lid in place removed so you can check it before you buy.