A fine white jade cylindrical brush holder Incised Qianlong four-character mark and of the period
62
Various Owners
A fine white jade cylindrical brush holder
Incised Qianlong four-character mark and of the period
Carved in crisp shallow relief around the exterior with a long hanging branch of blossoming plum tree issuing from a rocky terrace and a smaller upright cluster of leafy bamboo, a crisp shallow-relief band of squared spiral beneath the top rim, the stone of attractive even tone with the surface under a lustrous soft polish. 8.7cm (3½in) high
Sold for £31,250 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • 清乾隆 白玉雕梅竹紋筆筒 「乾隆年製」楷書刻款

    Provenance: purchased by the present owner from John Sparks Ltd., London in 1976

    White is one of the most prized shades of jade, and it is exceptional to find pieces of this flawless purity. Whilst examples can be found of other small white jade brush pots, such as that illustrated in Scholar's Paraphernalia: Classics of the Forbidden City, Beijing, 20009, no.36, the present lot is particularly refined with its very shallow and restrained carving so as not to detract from the quality of the stone itself.

    The prunus blossom represents purity, re-enforcing the theme of the purity of the jade itself, as well as symbolising perseverance and passing the official examinations. Bamboo represents intergrity since it sways with the wind but does not break. With these connotations, a piece such as this would have been greatly appreciated by the scholar-official.

Category: Asian Art / Chinese Works of Art

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