A BAMBOO ‘SCHOLARS’ BRUSHPOT, BITONG, BY SHEN DASHENG China, 17^th century. The cylindrical brushpot is supported on three short feet and deeply carved in high and low relief with scholars and attendants pursuing various leisurely activities amid pine, bamboo, and rockwork. The bamboo shows a fine, naturally grown patina overall and is of a rich brown tone.

Inscriptions: To reverse, ‘Yuchuan Shen Dasheng zhi’.

Provenance: British trade.
Condition: Good condition with old wear, shallow surface scratches, small losses, natural age cracks, weathering, tiny nicks to edges.

Dimensions: Height 16 cm

Shen Dasheng was a bamboo carver active during the late Ming and early Qing dynasty, who used the artist name Yuchuan, see Ip Yee and L. C. S. Tam, Chinese Bamboo Carving, Part II, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1978, page 103.

Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related bitong, 15.6 cm high, dated 17^th-18^th century, at Christie’s London in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 9 May 2017, lot 135, sold for GBP 56,250.

沈大生款竹雕文人場景筆筒
中國，十七世紀。圓柱體筆筒，三短足，浮雕山間松下文人聚會場景。雕工精良，包漿細膩。

款識: 禹川沈大生製。

來源：英國古玩市場。
品相：狀況良好，有磨損、表面淺劃痕、小缺損、自然老化裂紋、風化、邊緣有微小刻痕。

尺寸：高16 厘米

拍賣結果比較：比較一件十分相近的十七至十八世紀筆筒，高15.6 厘米，見倫敦佳士得Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2017年5月9日 lot 135, 售價GBP 56,250。