It is common to accidentally bump the lid when using a purple clay pot, but if you accidentally break the lid, it is actually quite troublesome. Some people may wonder, wouldn’t it be better to use it with a lid? Yes, it is possible, but the process is not easy. Now I will tell you three difficulties in fitting the lid.
1. It is difficult to match the same lid
The production process of a purple clay pot is complicated. Factors such as clay materials, shrinkage ratio, and size after firing will cause the color difference between the lid and the original pot to be different or not fit properly. Only the original pot with the original lid has the best fit. Even if the pot maker can find the same clay as the original pot and estimate the shrinkage ratio of the clay, it will be difficult to control the temperature when the lid is fired because the pot body and lid are not fired in the same kiln. The finished product may very well not match the original pot, and the color of the lid may also be different. When encountering some clay materials with high shrinkage rates, such as vermilion mud, it will be more difficult to match the lid .
(Image source: Baidu)
2. Difficulty controlling costs
Even if the user can accept that the lid and the pot body are different colors and easy to loosen, the cost of fitting a lid is very high and not cost-effective. There is a saying in the industry: "It is better to make three pots than one lid." Making a pot lid cannot be successful at one time. It must go through several or even dozens of trials and firings before it can be made to match the pot body. Matching lid. Moreover, the energy cost required to open a kiln is not low. The mud materials, time and expense lost in the process are enough to make several new pots. This is why many pot makers are not willing to just make pot lids.
(Image source: Youtube)
3. It is difficult to achieve the charm of the original pot
No matter how similar the lid is, it will always have a different charm from the original pot. This is because each purple clay teapot has its own unique charm. From the handle, spout, body and lid, you can feel the author's thoughts and pot-making skills. On the other hand, when making a purple clay pot, the pot body and accessories are made together. What is emphasized now is the overall harmony of the pot. The color and size of the lid made separately are likely to be different from the original pot, which can easily damage the original pot. The appearance will naturally be different from the charm of the original pot.
(Picture source: Hushuo Badao Studio)
The above are the three difficulties in matching pot lids. If the pot lid is broken, it does not mean that it cannot be matched, but it is just time-consuming and troublesome. If it is not of great significance or value, it is actually more practical to replace the pot than to match the lid. Of course, a teapot without a lid can also be used as a fair cup, making the best use of everything!
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