Tree trunk teapot (顾道荣)

There are many teapot designs that modelled on trees, most of these designs feature the trunk of the tree as the body with small branches on the cover. Usually the body has a layer of tree bark on it with some holes and cuts to show the ageing effect on the tree. This particular design uses pine tree as the design concept and there is a small tree branch across the cover (use for lifting the cover). The body consists of rough skin of the aged tree with some portion smooth after the bark has been removed. This design was created in the 60s and has won an award for tits outstanding aesthetic look and creativity.

Alans Museum has collected over twenty of such tree trunk teapot. The maker is Qu Daoyong (顾道荣), currently a senior craftsmaster and also a factory manager in Yixing. He was probably a trainee in the early 70s at the Yixing factory. He is very talented and skillful in teapot making. The teapot has a seal at the bottom that reads China Yixing, and the name Daoyong on the inside cover. The teapot comes in three colour, yellow, light brown and deep brown.

The tree trunk pot

Three versions of the same design

顾道荣

1937年9月生，宜兴市砂龙陶艺有限公司高级工艺美术师、总工艺师、研究所所长，自幼随父母习陶。1955年进宜兴紫砂陶业生产合作社（紫砂工艺厂前身），得朱可心，顾景洲、蒋蓉等的精心教授。 1987年进宜兴紫砂三厂授艺带徒。1992年到砂龙陶艺有限公司主持陶艺设计开发工作

多年来吸取前辈艺人之艺术精华，开创自己的独特艺术道路，佳作层出不穷，尤以花货见长，形象逼真、寓意深刻，技艺精湛，栩栩如生，令人爱不释手，作品《松龄鹤寿》于1988年评为无锡市优秀新品奖，《鱼罩壶》于1989年被江苏省轻工厅评为新产品开发奖，《鼓复》、《东坡提梁》、《莲心如意》三件作品参加朱峒瞻百岁画百壶展。《红梅绿竹》，《鱼罩》于1991年获轻工部优秀产品奖。《特大岁寒三友壶》于1993年在台湾第一届名壶博览会上被排列为历代第六名，当代第三名壶，许多作品广为收藏家喜爱收藏。