Qing Dynasty Carved Bamboo Wrist Rest With Children Playing & Calligraphy,Qing Dynasty

拍品描述

Measurements:Length 30 cm / 11.81 inches, width 10.5 cm / 4.13 inches, weight 200 grams, Qing Dynasty, Category: Wood & Bamboo Miscellaneous Works of Art, Primary trading market: New York StateCondition & Provenance:This piece is carved from thick, fully aged bamboo with straight, distinct natural grain running vertically across the surface. Centuries of natural oxidation created a uniform, warm reddish-brown antique patina with soft, understated luster. There are no splits, insect bore damage, missing carved details or deep penetrating cracks. The upper section features incised cursive calligraphy with consistent, controlled carving depth; all brushstroke lines stay crisp with no worn or blurred lettering. The lower half carries shallow relief carvings of a garden balustrade, flowing cloud scrolls and three playful young boys. Every child’s body shape, robe folds and facial expressions are finely rendered, with zero chipped carving edges or surface scuffs from handling. All four edges of the bamboo slab are smoothly polished without nicks, hidden cracks, repair work, artificial re-staining or post-production over-sanding. This wrist rest descended from a classical scholar’s household collection in Jiangnan, China. It was exported overseas through Hong Kong antique dealers in the 1990s, then acquired by a private Asian art collector based in Miami, Florida, USA in 2003. It has been stored long-term in climate-controlled dark storage, fully preserving its original naturally aged patina with complete, traceable collection records both domestically and internationally, with no repairs or alterations of any kind.Object Description:This signed Qing Dynasty carved bamboo wrist rest depicting children at play paired with poetic calligraphy stands as an outstanding representative work of Qing bamboo carving stationery. It adopts the classic curved wrist rest silhouette, ergonomically contoured to support wrists during brush calligraphy, blending daily functionality with decorative art value. The upper portion of the slab bears incised cursive Chinese verse reading “Flower shadows stretch along the path, children delight in countless simple joys.” On the left side sits a dated inscription “Made in Ding Wei Year” paired with a square seal carved in seal script. The fluid, free-flowing cursive brushwork is perfectly translated by precise carving tools that follow every subtle turn of the calligrapher’s strokes. The lower area features shallow relief carving of a traditional courtyard scene, including patterned stone railings and soft swirling cloud motifs. Three young boys fill the garden space with distinct lively poses: two chase each other playfully while a third sits peacefully watching their game. Every child’s innocent, carefree expression fully captures the serene, joyful domestic pastoral theme beloved by Chinese literati artists. The carving technique masterfully layers two styles—fine incised calligraphy paired with dimensional figural relief—to unite calligraphy, carving and painting on a single piece of bamboo, embodying core literati aesthetic taste. Intact signed Qing bamboo wrist rests combining poetic script and children-at-play relief scenes are fairly scarce on the market, with rich naturally aged patina making this a highly sought-after lot at New York Asian decorative art auctions.

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