Cylindrical zitan brush pot
"A cylindrical zitan brush pot early to mid
Qing Dynasty. This rare xiao-yie-tan brush pot is carved with three
different picture motifs, symbolizing "love, good fortune and longevity".
Carved from one single large piece of xiao-yie-tan zitan, this brush
pot's zitan wood is of very fine quality. A Qing period pot - extremely
rare example of xiao yie tan, an exotic subspecies of zitan wood
that only grew in India. The coloration of this brush pot and the
carvings and decorative motifs strongly suggest that it was from
the QianLong reign, from 1736 to 1795. The workmanship is of a superb
standard, with intricate carvings on three sides. One side is carved
with two yuanyang birds swimming in a lake. Yuanyang birds symbolize
everlasting love. The second side is carved with a bird, the shi-ch'ue,
standing on a branch. Shi in Chinese means happiness and good fortune,
ch'ue means bird. Shi-ch'ue symbolizes good fortune and good news.
The third side is carved with a crane standing by a pine tree, a
common symbol for long and healthy life. The brush pot is 6.7 inches
in diameter and 7.5 inches high, and weighs approximately six pounds.
Its diameter is considerably wider than most brush pots made from
xiao-yie-tan. Based on its finished diameter, it was made from a
piece of zitan approximately 8.5 inches in diameter. Xian-yie-tan
grows extremely slowly, and would reach this size only after approximately
400-500 years. " - This item is currently on consignment sale
with Ichiban Antiques.
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