Nowadays, the trend of mass collecting is becoming increasingly popular, with items such as calligraphy and painting, purple clay pots, and unique stones rising and falling in the art market. As one of the hottest collectibles, purple clay pots seem accessible to everyone, but without some professional knowledge, it's easy to fall into common collection pitfalls. Today, let's discuss the “four major misconceptions” that often trap purple clay collectors…

Misconception #1: “The More Complex the Workmanship, the Higher the Value”

Purple clay pots have been praised by later generations largely due to their unique material properties, which align well with the Confucian ideal of “harmony between form and substance,” achieving a realm akin to “unadorned jade and unrefined gold,” or natural beauty without embellishment. This simple yet naturally beautiful aesthetic, emphasizing harmony between form and substance, is a very common aesthetic concept in purple clay artistry. Many newcomers to the hobby, however, particularly favor colorful and intricately shaped purple clay pots or pots covered with inscriptions and paintings, believing these to be more artistic and valuable. However, this is actually a misconception.

To cater to this misconception, some producers add chemicals to the clay to create brightly colored “chemical-infused pots” or ignore practicality for Tea use, instead focusing on creating bizarre shapes, which deviate from the true beauty of purple clay and are therefore not highly valued.

Misconception #2: “Check the Bottom Mark Before Buying a Pot”

The mark on a purple clay pot refers to the text, symbols, or patterns engraved or stamped on the pot during firing, which serves as important evidence for identifying its age and the maker's name. It is also a critical factor for antique dealers and auction houses when valuing the pot, representing the craftsmanship level of the purple clay pot.

Given that some enthusiasts overly focus on the bottom mark and lack professional authentication knowledge, this indirectly fosters a market for faked purple clay pots.

Fake pots with fake marks can be created in various ways. Modern imitators make molds based on photos of the bottom marks of earlier works or simply invent them out of thin air.

Misconception #3: “Titles and Certificates Are Everything”

In the chaotic world of collecting, titles and certificates can be both genuine and fake, confusing the eyes, but the pot itself doesn't lie.

It's like ancient heroes competing in martial arts; only after displaying their skills can they gain recognition.

When buying a pot, what should be carefully considered are the clay quality, shape, and workmanship. The maker's title and certificate are merely for reference and do not say much about the pot. Truly great works have extraordinary form, spirit, qi, and charm. Many skilled artisans with deep cultivation and ability remain hidden among the people, not seeking fame. When the complex commercial hype and murky title evaluation processes lose their influence, the true value of purple clay pots becomes apparent, and those who were speculating are left stranded.

Misconception #4: “The Older, the Better”

Generally speaking, when we talk about old pots, we refer to purple clay pots from the Ming and Qing dynasties. In today's purple clay pot auction market, many old pots sell for no more than 200-300 thousand RMB, sometimes even less.

Many believe that the older the purple clay pot, the more valuable it is. In reality, the key determinant of a pot's value lies in its artistry, not its age.

If the clay quality or workmanship is poor, then even if the pot is old, its artistic value will be greatly diminished. Due to the excessive pursuit of old pots, opportunities arise for “faking old pots,” such as repeatedly boiling new pots in Black Tea to remove their new luster, giving them an appearance similar to old pots. I saw a TikTok live stream selling these kinds of fake old pots. I suggest you start with new pots instead, fellow collectors.

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