Handle With Care

Tea history lesson

In 1610, the Dutch East India Company carried the first consignment of Chinese tea to Europe. From there, tea was transported across the world before British legislation gave a tea monopoly in the American colonies to the British East India Co. when the competition’s duty regulations were “adjusted” to allow the failing companies a chance to sell its large tea surplus below prices charged by colonial competitors. Colonists opposed the act as another example of taxation without representation, and the historical 1773 Boston Tea Party incident took place. Led by Samuel Adams, American patriots dressed as Indians threw 342 chests of tea from three British ships into Boston Harbor as retaliation to the British.

By 1840, the British had calmed down enough to enjoy an afternoon cup of tea as a social act; hence, the custom of afternoon tea was born.

A quirky collection of teapots steep endless smiles

Five thousand years ago, China introduced boiled tea leaves as a medicinal drink. Five hundred years later, the teapot was introduced.

Collectors Sonny and Gloria Kamm consider teapots to be more than a mere host for a teabag. Out of their collection of 7,500 pieces, 250 are showcased through March 5 in “The Artful Teapot: 20th Century Expressions from the Kamm Collection,” an exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum.

Aside from acquiring tea vessels, the benefits these two collectors receive are more than what’s on display.

“We collect people,” says Mrs. Kamm. “Our collecting is a sociable part of our lives, especially since our children have grown.”

In response to an empty nest, Sonny, who sports a sterling teapot lapel pin, and Gloria, wearing a colorful version, have become full-fledged teapot collectors since the two attended an antique show in their Long Beach, Calif. hometown in the 1980s.

Says Sonny, “The show opened a whole new world for us.”

Originally, the Kamms collected two-dimensional artwork, but when they saw three-dimensional pieces at the show, they realized they were “3D people.” In response to their revelation, they began to collect art glass and sculptural ceramics before incidentally collecting teapots.

While much of their collection has been acquired from art auctions all over the world, some examples have been bought at a yard sale for as little as a quarter. A few teapots were even purchased from their grandchildren, mainly as a contribution to their education fund.

The highest amount the Kamms have ever paid for a teapot is $50,000, although if Sonny’s wish ever came true, he would be the owner of a Paul Revere teapot worth a quarter of a million dollars.

More than just collectors, the Kamms have also commissioned artists to make teapots. In hope that the Kamms might want to buy from a new source, some artists have even begun making teapots on speculation for the couple.

At its core, the collection is more of a contemporary sculpture exhibit. Some specimens are as tall as 5 feet, and according to Gloria, “Some are functional, some are non-functional, and some are dysfunctional.”

The pieces are group to offer a distinct visual experience within a theme, whether political, historical or Hollywood theatrical. One notable section of collectibles includes porcelain Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher teapots; their noses serve as the spouts.

Of the process of grouping the teapots, Sonny says, “Some were so ugly I was afraid we’d have to throw some out.”

Instead of trashing the misfits, the couple found a spot for each, and how the collection is displayed is almost as interesting as the teapots themselves. In the first of four exhibit room hangs an oil painting that depicts the historical China Tea Trade. Four rooms of teapots may seem like a lot to absorb, but once you get started, you quickly become eager to see more. And if you need to rest, there are tables where you can sit, relax and watch the companion video for a quick view of the collection or browse through a few scattered books relative to teapots and the artists who create them.

One book visitors may find interesting is “The Artful Teapot,” by Exhibitions International curator Garth Clark. The coffee-table book encompasses more of the Kamms’ collection and is available for sale in the museum’s gift shop.

In another section - the designated “I’m a Little Teapot” area - several teapots are replicas of famous people. One such two-faced teapot has the face of Mona Lisa on one side, while the other side is a Van Gogh image.

Many of the items are mixed media, such as the teapot made from an olive-oil tin, the Richard Marquis retro stars-and-stripes glass teapots, the teapot tote bag, the granite Mexican pot with nine spouts and the Native American jewelry conglomeration with the spear shooting off the top as a spout.

Yet another teapot creation is in the shape of a detonator, while another series displays children’s tales, such as the whimsical Humpty Dumpty, Mr. Potato Head and the Old Lady in the Shoe teapots.

Materials used to create the teapots include bottle caps, quail eggs, sugar and even one teapot made woven from $5 bills. Another piece was carved from rock salt, which would dissolve if the teapot were tested as functional, and another is more of a multi-level kinetic sculpture. To a ceramist, a teapot is one of the most challenging objects to create, mainly due to its asymmetrical shape.

More pieces reflect the late 19th and 20th century in design. A few erotic pieces might surprise you, but nothing is X-rated in the Kamms’ collection.

“These are most definitely not your grandmother’s teapots,” says Gloria.

She adds, “You don’t need to understand art to enjoy the collection. We want to appeal to those people who wouldn’t normally frequent art museums, but just want to smile.”

Credit PEM curator Karina Corrigan for featuring this unique collection of visual entertainment, as these two collectors successfully deliver the message that their teapots possess a spirit of their own, forged by the creative energy of the artists who made them.

Notes Gloria, “The best pieces make you want to touch them.”

The Peabody Essex Museum, located in East India Square, Salem, and is open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. General admission is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors and $9 for students. For more information, call 866-745-1876 or visit www.pem.org.

(this article was from the Marblehead Reporter)