COLLECTING BAMBOO BRUSH POTS
These scholarly bamboo antiques are beautifully carved and highly prized
Bamboo has always been associated with scholars’ items for the ‘literati’ in China. Small items used by skilled calligraphers such as brushes, wrist rests and brush pots have a particular allure as they’re o en intricately carved and embody the romance of oriental style. Bamboo brush pots – or
‘bitong’ – which were (and still are) used by scribes to hold brushes when painting calligraphy, are particularly beautiful, o en carved with decorative pictorial scenes. They are highly treasured by collectors today both in the West and East.
‘The tradition for making bamboo brush pots goes back to the middle of the 17th century, when the Ming dynasty fell in 1644 and the Qing dynasty began,’ explains John Axford, Chairman and Director responsible for the Asian Art department at Woolley and Wallis and a regular expert on the BBC’s
Antiques Roadshow. ‘There was great change in China. Suddenly the imperial court was too busy ghting wars to be ordering porcelain and other works of art. So, what you get in the 17th century – both in porcelain and the new tradition of carving bamboo – is stories illustrated on the side of objects. Bamboo brush pots suddenly had narrative tales.’
They feature all sorts of images – lovers, kings meeting shermen, mountainous landscapes and intricate trees – but o en the scenes depicted are inspired by one of the great novels of Chinese history. These tomes are the Chinese equivalent to Shakespeare and include: Romance of the Western Chamber, Journey to the West, and Water Margin.
‘Loads of brush pots from around 1900 are available today fairly cheaply,’ says John Axford. ‘You should be able to buy one for under £300. They o en split, so if they’re damaged they’re likely to be even less, around £80 to £150.’
Earlier ones from the late Ming or early Qing dynasties (from the 17th century or early 18th century) can fetch between £6,000 and £15,000, but bamboo brush pots can be more valuable still.
‘Bamboo works of art are signed so you know the artist.’
‘A brush pot came to us a few years ago. It was rather split and broken,’ recalls John. ‘It had been given to a St Peter’s Hospice charity shop in Bristol – we have no idea who donated it. It found its way to Cleveden Auctions, who approached the Woolley & Wallis Chinese department for some specialist advice. We sold it for the charity shop for £440,000. If it had been in perfect condition it could have made double that amount. Bamboo brush pots can make up to £1m.’ This amazing nd was carved with the philosopher Laozi on an ox with 12 further gures in a mountainous landscape. Though it was an older 17th-century brush pot dating from the Qing dynasty in good condition, another factor made its value soar.
‘One of the things about bamboo works of art is that sometimes they are signed so you know who the artist was,’ explains John. ‘That’s very unusual in Chinese art. With porcelain, it’s all got the emperor’s name on it, but you don’t know who painted it. Even with valuable Chinese bowls that make millions of pounds, nobody knows who painted them. Whereas bamboo carving is di erent – there are particular schools and artists who are sought a er. This brush pot that sold for £440,000 was signed by one of the top makers, Gu Jue of Jiangsu Province. It’s the best of the best.’