a pierced and carved bamboo brushpot (bitong) Qing dynasty, 17th / 18th century

boldly carved with a scene of literati at leisurely pursuits, with four men and one woman gathered around a low table drinking wine as two of them write on handscrolls, flanked by two attendants, behind the rocky mountain pass stand two additional scholars with an attendant, all beneath meandering pine branches and craggy rockwork rendered in openwork detail, supported on three low bracket feet, the bamboo of reddish-brown color, deep patina

There are expected small vertical age cracks around the mouth and the foot. One large crack along the mouth, 1 1/2 inch long, has been reglued. Some ink stains to the interior.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Compare a brushpot carved in the same manner and with similar subject matter, illustrated in Ip Yee and Laurance C. S. Tam, Chinese Bamboo Carving, Hong Kong, 1985, Part 1, no. 40, p. 211.