1960s Blue and White Porcelain Dragon Brush Pot With Brush Set

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… A blue and white porcelain scholar's brush pot with its matching calligraphy brush, c.1960, a presentation gift set in … Read more … A blue and white porcelain scholar's brush pot with its matching calligraphy brush, c.1960, a presentation gift set in the classic double dragon pattern. Two dragons chase through flame-licked clouds above a band of crashing cobalt waves, framed by double blue rules at the rim. The brush carries the same dragon, cloud and wave motif down its porcelain handle, finished with a gold-tone cord loop, and its natural horse hair head is ready to load with ink.

A short history of the dragon and the brush pot. The brush pot, or bitong, belongs to the scholar's desk of imperial China, where it kept brushes upright and close at hand beside the other three treasures of the study: ink, paper and inkstone. The dragon is the most powerful symbol that desk could hold. In Chinese tradition it commands rain, rivers and seas, and it stood for imperial authority and good fortune, which is why it rides above waves here. Cobalt blue on white porcelain took hold in the Yuan dynasty and reached its height under the Ming, and dragons have been a favorite subject ever since.

Calligraphy brushes are made from animal hair, and horse hair is a sturdier choice that holds its shape for broad, confident strokes. Together the pot and brush make a handsome gift for a writer, calligrapher, collector or anyone who keeps a considered desk. The pot also holds pens, pencils, makeup brushes or a few dried stems.
Brush pot: 4.25" D x 5.25" H
Brush: 11.25" L See less