Pictures

Finely carved in openwork relief with a beautiful dark brown original patina.

The scene is depicting Xie An probably playing chess. Unsigned.

A very close iconography was used by Wu Zhifan on the carving of two beautiful brush pot illustrated in the complete collection of treasures of the Palace museum Taiwan n°30, page31 and n°48 page 51.
Even if the technique of carving is different, we can compare our brush pot and the n°30 from the Palace Museum for his subject and the very similar scene carved on the left of Xie An and his partner playing chess.
We can also compare the iconography of the fantastic boxwood brush pot n°48
from the palace Museum.
The scene of announcing military victory to Dongshan and a finely carved horse rider coming with and announcement is very similar to our brush pot.

China 17th century.
Unsigned.
Height : 15.2 cm / 6 in.
Diameter : 11.8 cm / 4.6 in.

Provenance:
Private German Collection.

Similar Example:
Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carving, the Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, n° 30 page 31 and n°48 page 50.

Ming and Qing Bamboo by Simone Kwan, N°18 page n° 182.