Lot 1102. A spotted bamboo brush, dated by inscription to renzi year, corresponding to 1852 or 1912; 9 in. (22.8 cm.) long (without hair brush). Estimate USD 7,000 - USD 9,000. Price realised USD 2,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2016

The shaft of the brush is made of spotted bamboo and is incised with three inscriptions filled in with green, red and purple ink indicating the name, date, maker, and type of the brush respectively, and terminates in an ivory-colored wood end; the flanged collar is made of ebony, goat hair brush bristle. Together with a spotted bamboo brush wrapper, 18th century. 

Literature: Brush: Nicholas Grindley, 'November 1998', no.16.

Note: The inscriptions on the shaft read: wan ruo you long ('A wrist as agile as a writhing dragon'), renzi nian He Lianqing jing zhi ('finely made by He Lianqing in year of renzi', corresponding to 1852 or 1912), and ba kai fen zong chang feng yang hao ('thinly bonded long goat hair brush').
He Lianqing , a brush shop that supplied its fine products to the Qing imperial court from Daoguang through Xuantong period(1821-1911), continued to manufacture brushes during the Republic period.