A JIADING SCHOOL BAMBOO BRUSHPOT, BITONG, SIGNED ZHOU E, 18TH CENTURY Opinion: Finely carved and incised with openwork and undercutting, most cleverly combining high and low reliefs of different colors with a multitude of depth grades and variations of polishes to enhance both contrast and perspectives for the viewer, all exactly as expected from the best of the Jiading school of bamboo carving.

China. Carved to one side with two sages seated under a tall gnarled pine tree, wearing loose-fitting robes and short chignons, one pointing to the sky with two fingers, a craggy rockwork table with a potted lingzhi and a teapot with two cups next to them, further detailed with a standing attendant fanning a stove below a teapot. Carved to the other side with a groom and four horses in various poses, including one on its back with its legs in the air.

Inscriptions: To one side, 'Zhou E', with seal 'Zhou'.

Provenance: Jonathan Bennett, London, United Kingdom. A Hungarian private collector, acquired from the above via the UK auction market. The interior with an old paper label inscribed 'Equipment so when really set-up we […] plenty of recreation'. Jonathan Bennett is an English dealer of Chinese art, specializing in 18th century and earlier porcelain as well as works of art including jades, bronzes, bamboo, and lacquer. He began his career at Sotheby's on New Bond Street and has been an independent dealer for over three decades.
Condition: Good condition with minor wear, expected age cracks, some with old fills, minuscule nicks, light scratches. Magnificent patina overall, testifying to how much this bitong was appreciated by scholars over the past centuries.

Weight: 281.7 g
Dimensions: Height 14 cm

Zhou E (artist name Jiantang) was active during the mid-Qing dynasty and a member of the Jiading School of bamboo carving. During the late Ming dynasty, Jinling and Jiading, both located in Jiangsu Province, became the two key regions for the highest quality of bamboo carving. By the time of the mid-Qing dynasty, Jinling had slowly lost its edge, while Jiading continued on with the heritage of the Three Zhus (Zhu He, Zhu Ying and Zhu Zhizheng) for generation after generation. Around early-Qing, Jiading carvers of bamboo started to combine high and low reliefs of different color to enhance contrast, as can be seen in the present bitong. This specific skill grew more and more sophisticated over time and the levels of depths in protrusion increased from initially one or two to six different grades. After these improvements Jiading eventually became the leading region for the very best bamboo carvings.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3865
Price: HKD 800,000 or approx. EUR 132,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A finely carved bamboo brushpot, late Ming / early Qing dynasty, 17th century
Expert remark: Note that this brushpot is signed Sansong, which is the signature used by Zhu Zhizheng, a founding member of the Jiading School, and dated by inscription to the Jiacheng cyclical year. Note the striking resemblance of the scene, including the standing attendant fanning a stove below a teapot.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's Hong Kong, 31 May 2010, lot 1943
Price: HKD 250,000 or approx. EUR 42,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An unusual carved and reticulated bamboo brushpot, Qing dynasty, 17th/18th century
Expert remark: Note that the brushpot is signed Zhong Qian.


十八世紀嘉定派周鍔款竹雕筆筒
中國。一側雕刻著松下兩位聖人，衣著寬鬆，一個用手指指著天空，正在談笑風生。身旁一個的石桌，桌上一個盆栽靈芝，一個茶壺，旁邊有兩個杯子 ，一位站立的侍者茶壺旁煽著火。 另一面雕刻著一個馬夫和四匹馬，姿勢各異，其中一匹正仰臥著，雙腿懸空戲耍。

專家注釋：精雕細刻，局部鏤空，巧妙雕刻，結合紋理和光澤，完全符合嘉定派的竹雕風格。

款識：周鍔；鈴印：周

來源：英國倫敦Jonathan Bennett; 匈牙利私人收藏，通過英國拍賣行購於上述收藏。筆筒內有一個舊紙標籤，上面寫著“Equipment so when really set-up we […] plenty of recreation“。 Jonathan Bennett 是一位來自英國的中國藝術品經銷商，專營十八世紀及更早的瓷器以及玉器、青銅器、竹雕和漆器等古玩。他的職業生涯始於新邦德街的蘇富比，三十多年來一直是一名獨立經銷商。
品相：狀況良好，有輕微磨損，老化裂縫，一些填充物，微小的刻痕和劃痕。整體有自然的包漿，説明了幾個世紀以來此筆筒一直受到原主的喜愛。

重量：281.7 克
尺寸：高14 厘米

周鍔（字劍堂）活躍於清代中葉，為嘉定竹刻派成員。明朝末年，位於江蘇省的金陵和嘉定成為竹雕質量最高的兩個重點地區。到了清代中葉，金陵逐漸失去了優勢，而嘉定則將三朱（朱和、朱英、朱至正）的技藝一代一代傳承下去。清初左右，嘉定竹刻開始將不同顏色的高低浮雕結合起來，以增強對比度，如現在的筆筒所示。隨著時間的推移，這種特定的技能變得越來越複雜，突出的深度水平從最初的一兩個增加到六個不同的等級。經過這些改進，嘉定最終成為了最好的竹刻的主要地區。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2011年6月1日，lot 3865
價格：HKD 800,000（相當於今日EUR 132,500）
描述：十七世紀明末清初竹雕筆筒
專家評論：請注意此筆筒有“三松”的簽名，這是嘉定畫派創始人朱至正使用的簽名，並有嘉靖年代天干地支的銘文。請注意場景的驚人相似性，包括站立的侍者在茶壺旁煽著火。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2010年5月31日，lot 1943
價格：HKD 250,000（相當於今日EUR 42,500）
描述：十七或十八世紀清代竹鏤雕筆筒
專家評論：請注意此筆筒有“仲謙”簽名。