1690-98
David Elers and John Philip Elers
Red stoneware, slip-cast with applied sprig-moulded decoration
Made at the Elers' factory, Bradwell Wood, Staffordshire (active 1690-98)
Impressed with four imitation Chinese characters

This teapot appears to be unique, although another example of the body shape is known, with a normal loop handle at the back. The overhead 'bucket' handle was common on Chinese porcelain or enamel teapots from Canton (Guangzhou province), but is not known on the red stonewares from Yixing (Jiangsu province). Here it may have been copied by the Elers brothers from a European engraving of Chinese teawares rather than from an actual Chinese teapot.

Given by W.W. Winkworth
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O77866/teapot/

Chinese teapot (right)
With an inscription dating it to 1627
Chinese red stoneware with European silver-gilt mounts
Made by the potter Hui Mengchen at Yixing in Jiangsu Province, China
On the base is incised an inscription in Chinese characters translating as 'In 1627 Mengchen made this for the Hall of Friendship' (a room in the home of the client who ordered the teapot).

The teapot was made for a Chinese client and has specifically Chinese symbolism and writing. However, it ended up in Europe, where it was embellished with silver-gilt mounts. By contrast, many teapots that reached Europe were designed with more simple shapes, and without decoration with special symbolic meaning. The prunus design was popular on both imported and home-produced wares.