By Maria Montoya
USA TODAY, January 12, 2001

Sonny Kamm is tipsy for teapots. Searching galleries, malls and markets, he has managed to collect 6,000 -- but then, that was a day or so ago. 

You have to be quick when counting this attorney's collection. In fact, his front license plate frame reads, ''Teapot man strikes again.'' At 63, Kamm's passion has filled not only his home, but also a second Los Angeles condo purchased for the sole purpose of housing his treasures. 

Passions began brewing last year for all things tea with the emergence of trendy tea spots such as Teaism in Washington, D.C., Tea & Sympathy in New York and Citizen Cake in San Francisco. Researchers touted tea's newly discovered health benefits. And when Hillary Rodham Clinton and Laura Bush had their meet-and-greet at the White House last month, they chose to chat over a friendly cup of tea. 

''Who knows, an afternoon of tea may ultimately build the bridge between the Republicans and Democrats,'' says Pearl Dexter, editor of Tea A Magazine and co-author of the book Tea With Presidential Families. ''This is just the beginning of many great things inspired by tea.'' 

Collectible teapots -- both the mass-produced variety found at yard sales or one-of-a-kind artworks found in high-end galleries -- are what's powering the next leg of the tea phenomenon for tea lovers like Kamm. Unlike recent hot hobbies like Beanie Babies, teapots offer utility and beauty, he says. 

''Teapots have a real artistic, historical and cultural value throughout the world,'' says Kamm, who even purchased a custom-built teapot playhouse for his grandchildren. ''Most people don't think of a regular teapot as art, but for artists, the shape is just a starting point. Artists are putting together some great sculptural designs. There are pots made of mesh, wire and even mismatched pieces of old teapots that are just remarkable.'' 

Leslie Ferrin, author of Teapots Transformed: Exploration of an Object (Guild Publishing, $30) and owner of the Ferrin Gallery in Northampton, Mass., is ecstatic that teapots are finally receiving recognition. Featured in the new book are several pieces from Kamm's collection (including the Fast Lane Teapot, a metal teapot on wheels designed by David Damkoehler), teapots from Ferrin's own gallery and others from Guild.com. Prices range from $120 to $10,000-plus. 

''It's fun watching clients discover how different each teapot can be, since each work can go into a million different directions,'' says Ferrin, herself a former ceramic artist and currently project director for Celestial Seasonings: A Loose Interpretation, an annual national competition and exhibition of teapots in Boulder, Colo. ''Every year, we see more people beginning collections. People love buying teapots, especially as gifts.'' 

Teapot enthusiast Susan Hostetler, 45, of Athens, Ohio, considers herself a beginner, though she started her collection almost two years ago. She says she began looking for a single teapot to pass on as an heirloom, but was intrigued by the work artists can do in the form of a teapot. Colorful, Japanese-inspired teapots are among her favorites. 

''You can tell there is more interest in teapots because stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel and even Bergdorf Goodman are carrying some beautiful pieces in their home sections,'' says Hostetler, who is happy to see more retailers taking in interest in artist-designed works. ''Some of them are very affordable, which is great, because we all want some kind of great beauty in our lives, yet can't afford the masterpieces of the world on a budget.'' 

She likes the fact that anyone can build a serious collection with a minimal investment. That makes it easier to enjoy the peace found in not only collecting teapots, but also having a sit-down tea with friends. 

''Even here in rural Ohio, you can now find the freshest tea leaves because tea is so big right now,'' Hostetler says. ''When you see that kind of cultural change, it is just natural that you're going to see more people interested in items related to the trend.'' 

Tea and its accouterments will become a part of a great shift back to all things simple in society, Dexter predicts. And this time around, she says, more people will begin to appreciate what so many other cultures have already learned. 

''Teapots are multidimensional objects, which have come to symbolize warmth, home and a slower time,'' she says. ''Everything about tea is non-confrontational. It puts people in a mode of unanimous comfort.''