My AW BB is the biggest brutish most massive teapot I have. If I was
going to break it I'd use a sledgehammer. Porcelain is denser and
heavier and in this case you would need a fork lift if it wasn't clay
because of surface volume and thickness. I have a Chinese teapot
about the same proportions which is clay and they weigh about the
same. At some point in the process there is a law of deminishing
returns for porcelain price versus clay size. It's been awhile but I
think my huge (10 cup?) BB was $25 a couple of years ago. If it was
porcelain it would be much more expensive. You're simply not going to
find a porcelain teapot that big from anyone that cheap. If it
doesn't have the makers trademark send it back. You can find other
knockoffs probably cheaper although not Biggie Sized which I think is
the characteristic signature of a BB. It belongs on a breakfast
table. English teapots never come with infusers. You always use a
strainer. All leaves are emptied through the spout. I spent years
verifying that English tidbit. Since there is nothing new under the
sun someone else could have told you that but they prefer to remain
part of the anonymous masses who drink tea so I beat them too it.

Jim

"Dog Ma 1" (reply w/o spam)> wrote in message >...
> > Interestingly, there's no AW marking. The Blue Moon web site says that
> > they're porcelain, and the cardboard box has AW promo writing on it. But
> now
> > I'm wondering...
>
>
> Latest: AW apparently changed mould designs more or less at random. Importer
> says that name-stamping, presence/absence of a built-in strainer, etc. were
> randomly variable.
>
> Colour of the glaze backed by porcelain isn't quite as rich, to my eye, as
> with the old red clay. I must say, though, that the finish quality of these
> end-of-the-line brown teapots is as perfect as any commercial ware I've ever
> seen. And the porcelain weighs about half as much, not a trivial point on
> the 10-cup pot. I might just pick up a couple more for future gift needs.
>
> -DM