Lot 1864. A peachbloom-glazed brushwasher, tangluo xi, Kangxi six-character mark and of the period (1662-1722); 4 3/4 in. (12 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 350,000 - HKD 450,000. Price realised HKD 860,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2010

The shallow washer of compressed form supported on a wedge-shaped foot, covered overall in a rich peachbloom glaze of crushed raspberry-red tone graduating to areas of slightly paler tone suffused overall with deeper speckles, the base with the character 'wen'in underglaze blue on the interior side of the foot ring, the interior and base covered in a transparent glaze.

Provenance: A private collection, Hong Kong.

Note: The brushwasher is described as of 'gong-shape' or tangluo xi, as it has heavily compressed sides.

This washer belongs to an exclusive group of eight vessel shapes that are embellished in this extremely desirable peachbloom glaze . Known as the ba da ma or 'Eight Great Numbers'. The sets were especially devised in these classic forms to serve as requisite appointments for the Emperor's writing table. Thus the character 'wen' appearing on the base, a contraction of 'wen ju', a term describing the items on a scholar's desk, is highly appropriate for a brushwasher.

Similar brushwashers are illustrated by S. Jenyns in Later Chinese Porcelain, pl. 7, fig. 1; by J. Ayers, Chinese Ceramics in the Baur Collection, vol. III, Geneva, 1972, nos. A 306, A 309; in Sekai Toji Zenshu, vol. 15, no. 27.