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Lot Essay
This very distinctively shaped vessel carved in imitation of an archaic bronze form, was used to hold an artist's materials. Coloured pigments were kept in the tubular corners subdivided by wooden compartments, and the central compartment held a saucer and water for mixing the colours.
Usually modelled with two handles, this current example is more rare. Compare two of similar shape dated to the late Qing dynasty, with two handles, in Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, 1977, p. 124, pl.LV. See also another two-handled example in the Palace Musuem illustrated in, Jadeware III, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1995, p. 190, no. 156.
Usually modelled with two handles, this current example is more rare. Compare two of similar shape dated to the late Qing dynasty, with two handles, in Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, 1977, p. 124, pl.LV. See also another two-handled example in the Palace Musuem illustrated in, Jadeware III, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1995, p. 190, no. 156.