Adam's FINE ASIAN ART 28th,29th,30th Preview June 2022

36 A ‘X Ǐ SHÀNG MÉI SHĀO - 喜上眉稍 ’ AND ‘THREE FRIENDS OF WINTER’ CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER BRUSH AND COVER CHINA, MING DYNASTY, 16TH TO 17TH CENTURY The cylindrical shaft delicately carved in deep relief with the theme of the ‘Three Friends of Winter’ (bamboo, plum and pine) as well as with a magpie, the cover is also finely decorated with the same iconographies, the roundel to the end of the lid decorated with a flying crane, the roundel to the end of the grasp decorated with stylised waves and a swastikas, the base of the lid and the base of the brush adorned with keyfrets. L: 25 cm Notes: 1. The brush ( 毛筆 ) is the oldest of the ‘Four Treasures of the Study’ ( 文房四寶 ) – the other being the ink, the inkstone and the paper – with archaeological evidence dating to Zhou dynasty, during which it was illustrated on bones. 2. Because they all can flourish during the winter, the pine, plum tree and bamboo are known as the ‘Three Friends of Winter’. One can say ‘There is a happy magpie on the tip of the plum branch’, lit. ‘Xi Shang Mei Shao’ ( 喜上梅稍 ) which sound exactly like ‘Xi Shang Mei Shao’ ( 喜上眉稍 ), lit. happiness up to one’s eyebrows. €6,000 - €8,000 AN ENAMEL AND FILIGREE EMBELLISHED CHINESE EXPORT GILT SILVER BRISE FAN CHINA, QING DYNASTY, 18TH OR 19TH CENTURY Decorated either side with blooming flowers picked out in yellow / orange, blue and green enamels, the mounts also embellished with polychrome enamels. A very fine example of a combination of filigree and enamel techniques at their height. L: 18,5 cm Gross weight: 113,5 grams Note: Compare with similar silver gilt filigree brise fans with enamel decorations as illustrated in Chinese Fans, The Muwen Tang Collection Series No. 12, from the collection of Simon Kwan, published Hong Kong, 2011, pl. 41, pg. 180. For another related example see Heavenly Breeze The Edrina Collection of Qing Dynasty Chinese Fans Chinese Export Fans and European Fans, pp. 106-107, plate 33. €5,000 - €7,000