Lot 237A

19th C. Qing Spinach Jade Brush Washer - Lotus Pod, Leaves and Chilong

Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 237
image_0 image_1 image_2
19th C. Qing Spinach Jade Brush Washer - Lotus Pod, Leaves and Chilong
19th C. Qing Spinach Jade Brush Washer - Lotus Pod, Leaves and Chilong
image_0 image_1 image_2

19th C. Qing Spinach Jade Brush Washer - Lotus Pod, Leaves and Chilong

Estimate: $500 - $750
by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT (In Progress)
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

East Asia, China, Qing Dynasty, ca. 1800–1899 CE. A scholar's brush washer carved from a single block of deep spinach-green nephrite, its mottled olive tone shot through with russet veining. The lapidary has hollowed the heart of the stone into a generous shallow basin and let the surrounding matrix bloom into a living margin: furled and veined lotus leaves, a stippled seed pod heavy with ripeness, and a curling tendril that scrolls back upon itself. Coiling along the upper rim, a sinuous chilong, the hornless dragon of ancient bronze ornament, lifts its head as if surveying the pool below. The lotus, emblem of purity rising unsullied from the mud, made the washer a fitting companion on a literatus's desk, where it cradled water to rinse a brush between strokes. Tactile, naturalistic, and quietly auspicious. Size: 5.5" W x 1.3" H x 2.9" D (14.0 cm W x 3.3 cm H x 7.4 cm D).

The brush washer (bixi) belonged to the "scholar's objects" (wenfang), the refined accoutrements that signaled a gentleman's cultivation as surely as his calligraphy. Qing carvers prized Khotan and Siberian nephrite for these pieces, and the dark spinach-green stone seen here was especially favored under the Qianlong emperor and after. The pairing of lotus with the chilong is doubly charged: the lotus (lian/he) carries rebus wishes for purity and continuity, while the archaistic dragon nods to the antiquarian taste that pervaded Qing court and literati workshops, lending a venerable bronze-age pedigree to an object of everyday use.

Provenance: private Great Barrington, Massachusetts, USA collection, 1995 to 2005 or via inheritance; ex-JCT collection, U.S. Navy Commander, assembled 1926 to 1934

SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).

PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.

Item # 203338

  • Condition: Excellent. Intact and excellent with impressive detail.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000