A CARVED JICHIMU BOWL QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY

with deep rounded sides rising from a short foot to a flared rim, the base inscribed with a Huaimi Shanfang seal mark, the well figured wood richly patinated to a deep chestnut brown colour

Huaimi Shanfang probably refers to the studio of Cao Zaikui (1782-1852, sobriquet Qiufang), a Qing dynasty literatus from Suzhou. A close friend of Zhang Tingji (1768-1848), Cao was a highly respected scholar and connoisseur in his own right, with a special interest in the collection and study of archaic bronzes. A scholarly rock, with a fitted wood stand inscribed with the characters Huaimi Shanfang qingwan (Plaything from Huaimi Shanfang), was sold in these rooms, 5th April 2016, lot 2881.