This teapot is one of the many that we’ve stockpiled from several productions we sponsored in support of Mr. Zhang’s work during the slowdown caused by the pandemic. The local market for art and crafts came to halt and many artists and artisans suffered during that period and still do as we very slowly resurface at the other end of the ordeal. On a more positive note, this gave us an opportunity to work more closely with many of our collaborators and some, like Mr. Zhang, executed some of their best work as exemplified by this piece. We can only speak very highly of this size and shape as we use a sibling of this pot ourselves. It is easy to handle and features a short and larger diameter spout for quick 8 second pour out at capacity, as is customary in the art of Taiwanese-style tea making. As with all of his work, the shape and execution are flawless right down to the fit of the lid and the alignment of spout, handle and lid knob. The generous lid knob is easy to grasp. The pot's proportions and size make it a perfect vessel for gongfu style tea-making. We've tried it with very fresh high-mountain fragrant teas and with darker baked teas with very good results in the cup. Finally, the finishing is certainly one of its main attractive features. The appearance of the pot is the result of days of slow wood firing in a traditional snake kiln. The bronze hues blend into darker reddish browns that alternate from glossy to mat sections. A darker veil shrouds the front spout area. These aesthetic characteristics are purely accidental and the result of elements fusing during the firing process. What you see in the pictures is what you will get. Handmade in Taiwan.