A PALE GREENISH-WHITE JADE SHALLOW BRUSHWASHER

18TH CENTURY

Details

A PALE GREENISH-WHITE JADE SHALLOW BRUSHWASHER
18TH CENTURY
Well carved with two confronted bats forming the stigma of a large open prunus blossom with inward-curved, overlapping petals, borne on a network of gnarled blossoming branches that form the base and continue around the sides where three magpies are shown in flight or perched at the rim, the semi-translucent stone of pale greenish-white color
6 3/8 in. (16.2 cm.) diam., fitted wood stand

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Lot Essay

Magpies (xique) depicted alighting atop the prunus branches (mei) enveloping the present brushwasher form the rebus xishang meishao, or 'May your joy reach up to the top of your eyebrows.' Magpies are symbols of joy, and the plum is a pun for 'eyebrows' (mei). The pair (shuang) of bats (fu) carved in the interior of the vessel forms the rebus shuangfu, or 'may you have double blessings', thus doubling the wish for happiness and joy.

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