Brushpots of this large size would undoubtedly have been used to keep varied scholars objects including brushes, ruyi and scrolls. The imagery on the current brushpot and its accessories abounds with auspicious symbolism. The ruyi, rarely found in the small size, and very auspicious in their own right, are here further embellished with auspicious motifs such as the sanduo representing the wishes for blessings, long life and many sons.

In the catalogue entry for the present lot, Robert Kleiner notes that "The stylised markings on the surface of the vessel, which have much in common with contemporary bamboo brushpots, are typical motifs of the Transitional and early Qing period." This early Qing dating is also consistent with the carver's good use of material with some darker inclusions which would have been deemed perfectly acceptable since flawless material in this large size would have been nearly impossible to come by until later in the 18th century.

Compare a square spinach-green jade brushpot in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated with its accessories including a miniature ruyi and two brushes in Zhongguo Yuqi Quanji, vol. 6, 1991, no. 282.