Chinese Wood Brush Pot

A knobby, burl-textured lump stands on a polished oval base.

This bamboo brush pot is from Hebei Province, China, and dates to the 20th century. Bamboo is a hollow, fast-growing grass that Chinese craftsmen cut and carve into containers, and in the scholarly tradition it is generally linked with integrity and resilience. A rounded, craggy form made of stacked lumps with a swirling, pitted surface in warm reddish-brown. A small hollow opens at the top, and a smooth, dark oval stand supports it on tiny feet. It is 3 inches wide, 2 deep and 5.5 high.

Gnarly on top, politely stood on a nice base.