For the 21st century interest in teapots is brewing stronger than ever, according to Leslie Ferrin, co-founder of P!NCH and Ferrin Gallery in Northampton, Mass., and curator of dozens of teapot exhibitions since 1979.

“Several things have happened over the past few years to solidify and legitimize teapot collecting,” Ferrin says. “The Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts in Racine, Wisconsin, received the 260-piece teapot collection of Donna Moog; the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C., continues to acquire teapots; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art features numerous teapots in its ‘Color and Fire: Defining Moments in Studio Ceramics, 1950-2000,’ scheduled to open in June and tour the country.”

Inspired by the daily chore of stacking dishes in the sink, Joan Takayama-Ogawa created the “Gilded Tea Tower,” above. The china-painted surface includes generous touches of gold luster over porcelain.

Irish silversmith Kevin O'Dwyer pays tribute to Celestial Seasonings' most well-known tea with his "Sleepytime Rocking Teapot," the 1999 first-place winner.

Every year, Celestial Seasonings, the herbal tea manufacturer, sponsors a competition for artists to create teapots — and this year teacups — inspired by the company’s products and imagery, such as the well-known Sleepytime bear. Selections from Celestial Seasonings’ permanent collection are always on view at company headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. This year the annual show runs from June 22 to September 9.

Over the years, teapots have evolved from strictly functional to strikingly sculptural, giving rise to shapes and sizes as varied as the artists who make them. Ceramics will undoubtedly continue to dominate as the medium of choice, although silver, which throughout the Victorian Age equaled that of porcelain, is seeing a recent rise in popularity among artists and collectors.

"Fan Leaf", by Claudia Tarantino
Porcelain Teapot
6.5 x 11 x 6"
Year: 2000

Although glass, wood and other metals are more unusual, they too are generating interest. With such a wide range of choices, it becomes more important than ever for collectors to focus their acquisitions.

“Listen to yourself and determine what works for you,” Ferrin advises. “Collectors shape their collections the same way that artists shape their bodies of work. Collecting is their creative output, so making those choices can bring a great deal of enjoyment. Some people focus on the narrative aspects of teapots. Abstract pieces appeal to others who are intrigued by the simple aspects of the form, such as the proportions of the various elements — spout, handle, body, lid, foot. Others will choose an area in which to install a collection and buy pieces based on how they work together.”

Many of Deborah Groover's china-painted earthenware teapots, including, "Barbara: Fire and Water," above, interpret cross-cultural myths, religion, fables and the stories behind everyday saints.

An up-and-coming artist to watch, Susan Beiner's "Homage to Screwing" teapot is a dense collage of press molded and cast ceramic building parts.

Red Weldon Sandlin creates sculptural interpretations of classical literature that sit on a wooden trompe l’oeil book base. In the “Socie-Tea of Dr. Doolittle", bottom, the monkey figure is the teapot.

That’s what Sonny and Gloria Kamm did when they moved to their new home 15 years ago. They selected a few teapots from their collection and displayed them on shelves above the bar. “There were a few empty spaces, which created a vacuum that needed filling,” Sonny recalls. “It sort of teaballed’ from there!” Today, they own a major collection of more than 1,000 contemporary and 3,000 antique teapots.

The Kamms’ collecting has been purely subjective as they explored the evolution of the teapot from early to contemporary examples. “We look for the same qualities that one would look to find in a painting or sculpture,” Sonny explains. “Artistic merit, excellent workmanship, proper scale — perhaps humor, a message or merely an eye-pleasing form.”

Functional teapots are a good place to start collecting, as they tend to be reasonably priced — under $400 and averaging $200 to $300. In addition to studying their strength of form and design, Ferrin stresses the importance of noting the balance of the handle, determining whether the spout drips and considering the scale — will it hold the amount of water you want?

When selecting sculptural teapots, attention shifts to the individual expression of the artist. For works in a series, prices range from $500 to $1,500, while one-of-a-kind teapots can start at $1,000 for emerging artists, range from $2,000 to $10,000 for more established artists, and run over $20,000 for seminal works from important artists of the ‘60s and early ‘70s.

Korean artist Eunjung Park, a 1999 graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, assembles cast natural forms using molds of fruits, vegetables into teapot forms.

New collectors may also want to consider acquiring a few pieces from established artists as an anchor for their collections. From her stable of artists, Ferrin recommends the latest series of such well-respected artists as Susan Thayer, Joan Takayama Ogawa, Deborah Groover, Geo Lastomirsky and Red Weldon Sandlin. “Their work continues to develop and their newest series are very exciting,” she adds. “Up-and-coming artists to watch for include Kathy King, Susan Beiner and Eunjung Park”

As the new century unfolds, interest in teapots no doubt will continue to develop with both collectors and artists. “In the 21st century,” Sonny Kamm adds, “we’d like to see more artists, not just those traditionally in the craft field, use the teapot form as a canvas for creating wonderful sculpture out of diverse materials and more varied scale.”

Lynda McDaniel is a freelance writer living in Arlington, VA. She specializes in writing about craft art in Southern Living, Country Living, Lapidary Journal and Common Boundary.

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