Teaist Junior and I were out and about on the outskirts of town, as the family car was due a service.

To kill time whilst our chariot was fettled, we decided to have a browse in a nearby charity shop, one we seldom get to visit due to to its less than ideal out-of-town location.

As per usual I made a beeline for the ceramics shelves, and was delighted to see this kyusu style clay pot there.

I tried to resist, but I failed, so for the second time in a month my teaware abstinence came unglued.

A swift inspection showed it was in good condition, and a peep at its undercarriage revealed a price sticker asking a mere 15 Swedish Crowns.

Bargain! We have a deal!

Once back at home I gave it a good rinse out. Dumping a pot full of rinse water into a measuring jug showed that its volume was a couple of drips short of 400 ml.

There’s nothing stamped on it to indicate who made it other than the text “Made In China” on the bottom.

Aesthetically speaking it’s a bit rough around the edges – this is one pot that will never cause people to weep at its beauty, or compose sonnets in honour of it, but to be honest this does, to use a well-worn cliché, give it a certain rustic charm.

After a bit of contemplation I decided to dedicate it to Oolongs, primarily because I didn’t actually have a pot set aside for that class of tea.

It officially became my Oolong pot during a three infusion, Western style session with Wu Yi Bai Rui.

Still early days yet, but apart from a slight dribble during the pour I’m well satisfied, as I indeed really should be considering how cheaply I got it.

Here’s to many sessions with it in the years to come. Hurrah, etc…