Lot 23.  A fine carved white jade “lotus leaf” brush washer, "Bixi", early Qing Dynasty, 17th -18th century. Estimate 30,000 - $40,000. Price Realized incl. BP:$71,300. Photo Mosgreen.

Provenance: Spink & Son Ltd., 28/4/1987

Notes: Lotus was highly appreciated by Chinese scholars, it represents their spiritual purity. In the famous Northern Song Confucian scholar Zhou Dunyi (1017-1073)'s Ode to the Lotus Flower, he stated that "I just love lotus because she grows in mud, yet never contaminates with it. She floats on waving water, yet never dances with it."

Chinese Jade in Qing dynasty was often carved in a nature form, which represents the naturalism idea of scholars. A smaller jade brush washer with similar lotus form see the Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession number: 02.18.401). Another similar white jade brush washer with much smaller size and simpler design was sold at Christie's King Street, UK, in November 2013, lot no.80

A small white jade 'lotus leaf' brush washer, xi, 18th century, 3¾ in. (9.5 cm.) wide. Price Realised  GBP 10,625 (USD 16,947) at Christie's King Street, UK, in November 2013, lot no.80. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2013.

Mosgreen. The Spring Auction Series, 16/11/2015