Juliette Hammer
Sale Coordinator
Lot 1
A BAMBOO 'PINE' WRIST REST 17th/18th century
14 May 2025, 10:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£4,000 - £6,000
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Chen Xie
Specialist
Edward Luper
Specialist, Chinese Works of Art
Lazarus Halstead
Head of Chinese and Asian Art, London
A BAMBOO 'PINE' WRIST REST
17th/18th century
Of irregular form, the upper side naturalistically carved in shallow relief to resemble the undulating, scaly bark of a pine tree, finely detailed with a small gnarled branch bearing clusters of pine needles at the upper right corner, the underside remaining undecorated, the bamboo exhibiting a warm brown tone.
13.5cm (5 1/4in) long.
Of irregular form, the upper side naturalistically carved in shallow relief to resemble the undulating, scaly bark of a pine tree, finely detailed with a small gnarled branch bearing clusters of pine needles at the upper right corner, the underside remaining undecorated, the bamboo exhibiting a warm brown tone.
13.5cm (5 1/4in) long.
Footnotes
清十七/十八世紀 竹雕松紋臂擱
Provenance: Michael Merton Antiques, London, early 1960's (collector's notes)
來源： Michael Merton Antiques，1960年代早期（藏家筆記）
In ancient China, writing was done from right to left. To prevent the right hand from smudging the ink, wrist rests were developed. Bamboo, with its naturally arched form, proved to be an excellent material for crafting wrist rests. In Chinese culture, pine trees, known for their evergreen nature and ability to withstand harsh winters, symbolise longevity, resilience, and immortality.
See a bamboo box similarly decorated, 17th century, illustrated by Ip Yee, Chinese Bamboo Carving: Part I, Hong Kong, 1978, pp.148-149. See also a similarly carved 'pine' bamboo brush washer, early Qing dynasty, illustrated in Literati Spirit: Art of Chinese Bamboo Carving, Shanghai, 2012, p.83, no.34.
See also a related carved bamboo 'three friends of winter' wrist rest, 18th century, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3 June 2015, lot 2837.