A jade-inset hardwood 'Gengzhi tu' brushpot, Qing dynasty 清 硬木嵌玉耕織圖筆筒

The jade panels in the present piece were probably once used as the lampshade of an imperial hanging lamp, but were later repurposed into a brushpot. Compare a related hanging lamp, also inset with twelve jade panels incised with Gengzhu tu, sold at Christie's Paris 25th June 2021, lot 341; and another pair of similar hanging lamps, accompanied with cloisonné enamel stands, sold at Bonhams San Francisco, 13th December 2010, lot 5158.

十二玉板原或為宮燈燈罩，其後經改裝為筆筒。可參考一白玉鑲銅活掛燈，其十二玉板與本品的紋飾及大小相若，售於巴黎佳士得，2021年6月25日，編號341。另可參考一對相類掛燈，配掐絲琺瑯龍首挑杆，售於三藩市邦瀚斯，2010年12月13日，編號5158。