Cute Labradorite animals

I have in my collection a pair of squirrels and a rhino carved out from Labradorite.

Labradorite is a member of the Feldspar family.  It is treasured by collectors for its remarkable play of color, known as labradorescence. The term labradoresence is defined  as the peculiar reflection of the light from submicroscopical planes orientated in one direction (rarely in two directions); these planes have never such a position that they can be expressed by simple indices, and they are not directly visible under the microscope.

The stone, usually gray-green, dark gray, black or grayish-white, is composed in aggregate layers that refract light as iridescent flashes of peacock blue, gold, pale green, or coppery red. The predominant blue varies within the light, displaying hues from deepest blue to various shades of pale, almost blue-green. It was discovered in Labrador, Canada in 1770 and hence the name Labradorite.

Here are the photos of the Labradorite animals.

 

 

Just looking at the iridescent flashes of peacock blue, gold, pale green coming out from these animals would make one happy. Nature is wonderful, there are so many different types of minerals to enrich our life on this planet.

Tea containers

I like puerh tea. And also like tea accessories, the things you need to brew a nice cup of tea.

Apart from teapots, tea cups and other utensils, I also like to collect different types of tea containers. I like to admire my tea accessories while brewing my cups of puerh tea.

Recently, I bought some tea containers and a blue-n-white vase that can double up as a container for tea. The first is a porcelain tea container made in 1949, the year The Nationalist China under Chiang Kaishek fell to the communist  China under China Mao. This is a blu-n-white piece with painting of prawns swimming in search for food.

The second one is also a porcelain tea container made during the Qing dynasty. At the bottom one can see inscription of such words as for the use in the Imperial Kitchen of the Qing court. Incidentally the words on the top of the container indicated the Chinese characters Puerh Tea. If you shake it, you can hear the rattling sound of tea leaves inside. I was told that the tea must have been stored inside for a very long time. You may ask, why not open the lid and take a good look of real vintage tea (from Qing dynasty, definitely a hundred years old). Or perhaps make a brew and enjoy for yourself what the Emperors used to drink in those good old days at the palace. I surely want to do that but I cannot. For a simple reason, the lid was closed so tight that it was impossible to open it. Unless you want to risk breaking it. Anyway I got it for a song due to this problem. I told myself, even if I were to break it, the value of the tea inside would have surpassed what I have paid for the container. Even tough I like to drink vintage puerh, I did not break the container for I really like it, a lovely piece of art and also piece of history (from Qing dynasty). Maybe someday I will meet someone who has the know-how to open it, of course without breaking it. Then I will have both the antique container and some equally antique puerh tea.

The lid is not level, due to tight fit.

The third one is a celedon ware, a tea container in a greenish glaze. I do not know its age but I guess it cold have been made in the 1980s or earlier. This container is ideal for putting tea leaves as there is a cork that can close it tightly to seal the fragrance of tea inside. Obviously mature puerh need to kept in this type of container to protect it from the harmful environment.

The last one looks like a vase but it is not a vase, It has a big opening or mouth and an equally big lid. The shop owner told me it is from the Qing dynasty, could well be early era of the dynasty due to the glossy state of the glaze and the quality of the painting on it. With a magnifying glass, I could see tiny bubbles and the blue-n-white glaze is beneath, not above the glaze (fired in kiln instead of electric furnace). This a huge container, if I may say so, to put my tea leaves inside since it has a lid. May be this is good place to age my puerh for a couple of year before it turns mellow.

Menghai 8582 tea cakes

Recently my relatives brought me some Menghai 8582 green puerh tea cakes. It is produced under the famous brand Da Yee. Da Yee literally means great benefit in Mandarin. This brand name has been adopted by Menghai tea factory many years ago in a bid to promote its brand of high quality puerh tea, made strictly following proven recipe such as 7542, 8582, etc.

Menghai tea 8582

Although this tea is very recent, surprisingly it is quite pleasant to drink. The after taste, kind of sweet-bitter feeling, lingers in your mouth reaching into the throat. It can only produce this effect if the tea leaves are fresh and of high quality. No wonder Menghai green puerh tea, especially the 7542 and 8582, are very sough after by tea drinkers all over the world. Incidentally, this type of puerh tea will be a good investment as the appreciation is expected to be 20% every year. However, watch out for fake products. The whole tea market is infiltrated with imitation puerh tea that carries such renown brands. An advice to new comer, drink more and get used to the fragrance of puerh tea and experience the after-taste that lingers in your mouth after swallowing the tea. This sweet-bitter sensation is what you need to go after when discerning good puerh from the ordinary one. No body can impart this skill-set to you and you have to learn and experience it yourself. The sooner you acquire this skill, the faster you can enjoy the pleasure and excitement in the world of puerh.

Old Gongdin puerh

Another brand of old puerh is the so-called Gongdin puerh, literally means puerh from the palace court yard. It is made from fine puerh tea leaves. It has a deep aroma and a pleasant fragrance. I virtually run out of vocabulary to describe the character and quality of this tea. May be I will have to borrow some vocabulary from the wine connoisseur in future. Puerh tea and wine are my favorite beverages. Next time.... Cheers.