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Dragon brush pot (huanghuali)
"Shaped at the mouth as overlapping petals, the cylindrical brushpot is carved with chi dragons in relief. Brushpots carved with dragons are extremely rare." Catalogue text to item 3 at the exhibition of "Ming - The Golden age of Chinese Furniture", Musée Guimet, Paris, 2003.
The brushpot offered here for sale is slightly wider than the above discribed from the Collection Lu Ming Shi. This one has a diameter of 18 cm at mount, 17 cm at bottom and is 17½ cm high. It is dated to the 17th century.
The carving of the two pots suggest that they come from the same workshop. This one is made from a single piece of dark huanghuali with a very lively, waved grain pattern. The bottom is made from another single piece of huanghuali cut at right angel to the grain lines, see photo.
The carved decoration is exquisitely executed and includes four different situations with chi dragons, three of them together with a flower branch and one together with cloud motif.
Some examples of similar formed brushpots from the same period - but with totally floral decoration -has been published and several has been offered on the market. Dragon brush pots are not seen to be in any public collection - and the one from Collection Lu Ming Shi seems to be the only one in private hands sofar published.
A dragon brush pot is one of the most attractive and rare scholar's items to be in any collections.
Minor chips to the rim. Othervise perfect and original without repairs or substitutions.
Item no. 163
Price € sold
Available photos:
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