A CHINESE SCHOLAR'S WHITE JADE AND SILVER BRUSHWASHER
QING DYNASTY (1644 to 1912)


A very charming, very unusual and most delightful, antique Chinese brush washer with a Peach and Rat theme, with a stand cleverly created as an old, gnarled, “penjing” (Chinese bonsai) peach tree, the trunk and branches made from a very high grade of silver and inlaid with red coral for peach and peach blossom petals, blue, Persian-type turquoise for peach blossom centers, and green turquoise for leaves, especially created to hold an 18th century brush washer "cup" made from an equally high grade of white jade that has been carved into a bowl form representing a large, luscious peach.

The rat, one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, is a symbol of wealth and abundance. The peach tree and its fruit are symbols of longevity, while its blossoms are said to bring good luck. Peach wood wards off evil. The peach tree is considered to be a sacred tree of immortality. Together, all of these symbols and the quality of the materials come together to bring a true richness to the scholar’s set of desk treasures.

approximately 3.75 in high x 3.25 wide


PLEASE MAKE SPECIAL NOTE: THIS AUCTION WILL BE RUN AUTOMATICALLY BY THE LIVEAUCTIONEERS COMPUTER SYSTEM. KNOWN AS A “LIVE TIMED AUCTION (AUTOMATED CONSOLE),” THE BIDDING WILL TAKE PLACE VERY QUICKLY AND THERE WILL BE NO CHANCE OF A PAUSE BETWEEN BIDS. PLEASE BE PREPARED, IN ADVANCE, TO IMMEDIATELY PLACE YOUR BID WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES.

IN ADDITION, THIS IS A NO RESERVE / NO BUYER'S COMMISSION AUCTION. PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN PLANNING YOUR BIDS.

Thank you and enjoy the auction!

Two small inlay stones are missing from a peach blossom on the back. (Please refer to photo number 10.) Can easily be replaced. There is a very small area of corrosion on a section of the “tree roots” that can easily be removed. (Please refer to photo number 3.)

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All statements by us in the online catalogue entry for the property or in the condition report, or made orally or in writing elsewhere, are statements of opinion and are not to be relied on as statements of fact. The absence of such a reference does not imply that an item is free from defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. All property is sold “as is” without any representation or warranty of any kind.