Brush Washer, Water Coupe

"A Chinese zitan water coupe (brush washer), carved overall with ruyi and fu (bat) with a huanghuali (yellow flower pear wood) stand carved with openwork ruyi and tendrils, 5.5" x 3.25" with a fitted wood storage box, dating from the 18th century, Qianlong (Ch'ien Lung) 1746 - 1795.

Bats are important in Chinese art, and are auspicious creatures representing long life and happiness. The reason for the aforementioned may be due to the character for bat, and the character for happiness are both pronounced 'fu'.

Zitan, a purplish black wood, is one of the most important woods in Chinese decorative arts. Zitan is the hardest and heaviest of all the hardwoods. Due to the scarcity of large zitan trees, objects made of zitan are considered exceptional treasures. There are two species which are native to China: Pterocarpus santalinus and Pterocarpus indicus. Zitan was used for Chinese furniture and articles for the scholar's table.

Huanghuali is a hardwood that has been revered in China since the mid-Ming Dynasty. By the end of the 18th century, it became rare and was supplanted by hong mu. Small objects of huanghuali are exceedingly rare, thus the stand that accompanies this water coupe gives it a higher value than the comparable, which, like most water coupes, does not have stand." - Bernie McManus, Appraiser, Woodbury House, Connecticut, 8/8/2001.

Christie's New York, 3/25/98, sale #8870, lot 377, Zitan brush washer, 18th c. 5.50" (without a stand). Bernie McManus, Woodbury House, 8/8/01.

Cameron, Nigel. The Chinese Scholar's Desk. Hong Kong: FormAsia Books, 2003.