清十九世紀 紫檀刻「暗香疏影」梅花圖筆筒 《復翁郭麐》款 「麐」印 《乙卯冬十月 子祥張熊》款 「子祥」印

句出李昉《禁林春直》：
「疏簾搖曳日輝輝，直閣深嚴半掩扉，
一院有花春晝永，八方無事詔書稀。」

There is a 6 cm forked age crack on the underside, and a couple of fine age cracks a the rim, however, the overall condition is otherwise very good. The actual patina is of a deeper brown colour compared to the catalogue illustration.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Zitan brushpots are amongst the most treasured items of the scholar’s studio, and the present example is especially noteworthy for the fine and confident carving of the calligraphy. The poetic inscription is an excerpt from a poem by Li Fang (925-996) and may be translated as follows:

          Loosely woven bamboo blinds gently swaying, sun shining bright,
          The Compilation Bureau secluded and solemn, its door half closed,
          Entire courtyard full of blossoms, the spring day endless,
          No trouble brewing anywhere, so imperial edicts are few.

Guo Lin (1767-1831), zi Xiangbo and hao Fuwen, was a native of Wujiang, Jiangsu province. When young he studied with Yao Nai and his talent was recognized by Ruan Yuan (1764-1849), a scholar-official in the late Qing period. Guo was an avid collector, an accomplished writer and a skilled calligrapher, whose style was close to that of the famous Song dynasty master calligrapher Huang Tingjian. He was an occasional poet and painter, whose paintings of bamboos and rocks have an especially natural elegance. Guo also carved seals, frequently emulating the script style of the Han dynasty.

The present brushpot bears the signature of Zhang Xiong (1803-1886) who was a scholar from Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, but lived in Shanghai. He was famous for his talent in painting and calligraphy. Several works of art are known bearing Zhang’s name and they are, as a group, with excellent calligraphy and seals, suggesting that they may be by him or made under his patronage. See the thumbring (lot 184) in this catalogue that bears his name and the date 1866, executed in a similarly confident calligraphic hand wielding the ‘iron brush’ in a related style. The ring is signed with the use of the character zuo ('made by') indicating that it is Zhang’s carving. A collaboration is apparent in the pair of scroll weights (lot 169) in this catalogue, where one inscription says that Zhang Xiong painted an image to be copied onto the pair of scroll weights, while another artist carved it.