I love collecting teapots.  I bought one online and i want to collect an entire house full.  What can you tell me about teapot collecting?
Ah, yes, teapots! Some teapots today actually have a strainer built in to the spout! Super useful!
Cool. I can use that when i make tea. I will look for this feature.  Is a long spout better than a short one?
As far as the spout, that is more of a personal preference, as to how it pours easier for you, as well as it depends on if you use loose tea bags or if you use tea leafs which would need a strainer in there which ultimitely makes the spout bigger thus longer.
Now that i think about it, the teapot i bought is kind of a small one.  I would like to make tea by the gallon.  Should i look for a bigger teapot, or will i get better results  with the little one?
I would go with a larger one! They were actually derived from the bigger ceramic kettles and wine pots that could also be made from metals too. 
OK. would i get a better deal on Ebay, at an auction house, or someplace like Walmart or Amazon?  I am looking for collector teapots, not common ones.
In that case, for a collector, you would find the most unique ones on Ebay! Just be very careful that what you are buying is authentic!
I suppose i could message the seller and ask questions.  Are there any other tips you can give me?  I am afraid i have forgotten to ask you something important about teapot collecting.
tea and hot water are added, a handle for holding by hand and a spout through which the tea is served. Some teapots have a strainer built-in on the inner edge of the spout. A small air hole in the lid is often created to stop the spout from dripping and splashing when tea is poured. In modern times, a thermally insulating cover called a tea cosy may be used to enhance the steeping process or to prevent the contents of the teapot from cooling too rapidly.
History.
The
spoutbr
When I get all steamed up,br
Hear me shout,br
Tip me over and pour me out!br
br
I'm a very special teapot,br
Yes, it's true,br
Here's an example of what I can do,br
I can turn my handle into a spout,br
Tip me over and pour me out!br
See also.
- American tea culture
- Tea for Two (song), an earlier North American song referring to tea