Huanghuali Brushpot, bitong
17/18th century

Smooth-sided wooden scholar's brushpot of cylindrical shape with a slightly rounded top edge and flat, smooth base. The base holds a separate plug for shrinkage.
This brushpot was carved from a single trunk of the Huanghuali (golden rosewood) tree. It was then hollowed out to form the cylindrical shape and plugged to accommodate temperature and humidity changes from climate to climate.

CONDITION:
Overall condition is fine except for an old .75" crack to the base. Crack does not extend to edge. (See detail.).

MEASUREMENTS:
Height 7.5 in
Diameter 7.75 in

SERIOUS ENQUIRIES ONLY PLEASE.

REMARKS:
Huanghuali was integrated into Chinese classical furniture throughout the Ming dynasty (1370-1649). Its attributes allow this hard wood to accommodate moves from high to low humidity, as strong as this wood is, the soft glow and growth patterns was highly favored by Ming and Ching courts. This wood was found on Hainan Island SW of China. Huanghuali grew in dark wetland forests, deep in the interior of this island, when trees are felled and cut, outer younger growth exhibit a more yellow loose pattern while the more central growth shows a darker yellow to reddish pattern. What is less known is how Chinese prize the pattern in this wood. Tiger huanghuali looks as if striped like a tiger's fur, while ghost huanghuali shows faces with eyes peering out. Lastly, eye huanghuali has eyelets throughout the wood. All of these huanghuali are of the same wood just different patterns shown on its surface. This brushpot has ghost throughout its surface, which is highly prized. Today, Huanghuali is considered extinct.