A CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER 'SCHOLARS' BRUSH AND COVER, LATE MING DYNASTY
China, 17th century. Of cylindrical form, well carved with a continuous scene of scholars amid rockwork under towering pine trees and a small pavilion with two figures inside, the cover similarly carved with a pagoda and pavilions nestled in mountains below swirling clouds, all against a floral diaper ground. The brush and cover are each carved with a key-fret band above the base and overlapping lotus petals toward the top.

Provenance: UK market, by repute from an old English estate.
Condition: Good condition with old wear, natural age cracks, few small losses, possibly minuscule old fills.

Weight: 64.5 g
Dimensions: Length 26 cm

Auction result comparison: Compare a near-identical brush and cover, 25.4 cm long, also dated to the 17th century, at Sotheby's New York in Important Chinese Art on 13 September 2016, lot 347, sold for USD 7,500.

明代末期剔紅文人場景毛筆
中國，十七世紀。毛筆帶蓋，圓柱體，錦地剔紅雕刻松下岩石和亭子，亭中有兩位文人；筆蓋上雕刻了一座寶塔和一座座依山而建的亭台樓閣。上下邊沿都有雷紋，頂部有重疊的蓮花花瓣。

來源：英國古玩市場，據説來自英國私人收藏。
品相：狀況良好，舊時磨損，自然老化裂縫，有少量小缺損，是很細微的舊時填充物。

重量：64.5克
尺寸：長26厘米

拍賣結果比較：比較一件十七世紀幾乎一模一樣的毛筆，帶蓋長 25.4 厘米，見紐約蘇富比Important Chinese Art 2016年9月13日 lot 347, 售價USD 7,500。