? A RARE INSCRIBED ZITAN AND SPOTTED BAMBOO SQUARE BRUSHPOT, BITONG, 18TH-19TH CENTURY China. Finely carved to each side with a rectangular panel inset with nine small spotted bamboo shoots with caramel-brown 'teardrop' patches, framed by a neatly incised poetic inscription to each edge, supported on four low bracket feet.
Inscriptions: To the zitan frame, across all four sides, in two vertical lines flanking the central panels, ‘The autumn water-dyed bluer than ink. While cinnamon leaves loom, old mists drift and sink / Joyful, companions meet where courtyard shadows play. While gracious winds along the ground waft scents our way / Together: The host presses wine with earnest cheer. Soon the guests are flushed with liquor near / Drunk, they knew not the newly penned song. Yet vainly sang of Li Xiangjun all along’. One seal.
Provenance: Private Asian Collection, acquired in the 1980s or 1990s. Christie’s London, 16 May 2016, lot 215 (part-lot). Fleurdelys Antiquités, Madame Laurence Paul, London, United Kingdom. The private collection of Jules Speelman, London, United Kingdom, acquired from the above. Jules Speelman is a world-leading dealer and collector of East Asian art with 60 years of experience. In 1964 he joined his late father, Alfred, in the family business which already stretched back three generations to 19th century Holland and expanded into England around the turn of the century. Originally, A & J Speelman dealt with antiques, from European ceramics, silver, tapestries, and furniture to Chinese porcelain, and works of art. With his father, Jules gradually shifted the focus towards Asia and under Jules Speelman's skilled direction, A & J Speelman is now considered amongst the foremost dealers in Asian antiques, with a particular emphasis on figurative sculpture and works of art from the past 2000 years.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, traces of use, and natural imperfections, few fine age cracks, small surface scratches, a tiny chip with associated old repair to the rim.
Weight: 427 g
Dimensions: Height 13.5 cm
Li Xiangjun (1624-1654), referenced in the poem inscribed on the present brushpot, was a celebrated geji (courtesan) during the late Ming dynasty, renowned for her artistic talents and her tragic romance with the scholar-official Hou Fangyu. Their story became immortalized in the Qing-era historical play The Peach Blossom Fan by Kong Shangren, which dramatizes their love amid the political collapse of the Ming dynasty. Regarded as one of Chinese history's most iconic romances, their relationship symbolized loyalty and resilience during a tumultuous era.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams London, 9 November 2017, lot 178
Estimate: GBP 5,000 or approx. EUR 8,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A spotted bamboo and zitan brush pot, Bitong, 19th century
Expert remark: Compare the related material, technique, and size (12.2 cm). Note the different form.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s London, 22 February 2022, lot 33
Price: GBP 6,300 or approx. EUR 9,200 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A hexagonally lobed bamboo veneered brushpot, Bi tong, Qing dynasty, 18th century
Expert remark: Compare the related material, technique, and size (13.5). Note the different form.
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