Chinese Ming Dynasty Wood Bitong (Brush Pot)

**Originally Listed At $400**

East Asia, China, late Ming to early Qing Dynasty, ca. 17th to 18th century CE. A hand-carved wooden brush pot known as a bitong, shaped into a hexagon. Each panel is relief carved and depicts natural imagery with birds, branches, and flowering plants, and people outside with buildings in the background. Brush pots, like this example, were traditionally used by scholars and artists for holding calligraphy brushes and displaying on the desk as functional decoration. Size: 6" L x 4.5" W x 7" H (15.2 cm x 11.4 cm x 17.8 cm)

Provenance: private Rochester, Michigan, USA collection, Acquired 1974; ex-Royal Oak Michigan Antique Market, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA

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#182659
Condition Report: Stable pressure fissures to the sides radiating from the base and rim on multiple panels. Some chips to peripheries and old losses to relief carvings. Thick patina throughout from old pigments on the surface. Nice signs of age and use.