My Grandmother purchased the above item during a trip to China ca 1910. That and other “souvenirs” of the trip to India, China and Japan she made as a young girl were kept in a curio cabinet at my paternal Grandfather’s home. She died the year before I was born so everything to do with her was of interest to me but none more than this collection. It was a “study” collection – objects that traced the different media used by the artists of the countries she visited – bamboo, nuts, roots, ivory, jade, etc. Because of my interest, my parents saw that the collection came to me as a young girl. I studied art history and of course the arts of Asia.
But as an older woman with shakey hands, I was concerned with the care of these pieces. I had no idea of their true value but I knew they deserved to be with people who collected or preserved such things. I also needed money to keep my house in this economy so on the advice of a friend in the antique’s business, I shipped all of the objects off to Skinner’s in Boston. They are known for their auctions of Asian Art.
The brush pot was the one item with which I did not want to part. I kept it well oiled so that the bamboo would not crack (it had two slight cracks) and it developed a beautiful patina. I loved it and appreciated the art of the carver. It and all of the other objects had the original paper “price tags” on their bottom surfaces. That and expertise told the auction house these were not copies but the original objects.
The day of the sale, I casually went to the Skinner website and checked results. When I came to the brush pot, I was sure there had been a mistake: $539,500 [that is what the bidder paid; that is not what I cleared after the auction house fee, Uncle Sam and my state took their cuts]. The pot was sold to an agent for a Chinese buyer and was on an invoice with other items. It was the major item on that invoice.
Five months passed and full payment had not been made but just enough that it looked as if the buyer were sincere in wanting to complete the deal. But many Chinese drag out payments and at the end of the day, try to renegotiate the price thus undercutting the auction system. I prayed it was not the case here. The CFO at Skinner’s is a very fine gentleman and he, his attorney and I were determined to stand firm on price or the deal would not go through. The CFO handled the negotiations brilliantly with the end result that it turned the tide in our favor and convinced the buyer to release the balance of the payment sooner rather than later. In fairness to the buyer, I must also add that the Chinese government banks watch large transactions carefully and often hold them up until they are satisfied that nothing untoward is afoot.
A very large part of me hoped that the brush pot might come back to me and I would not have to lose it after all. I also don’t like the Chinese idea that all Chinese art belongs in China. Never again will an object this old ( 18th century) be allowed to leave the country. In fairness many countries practice this policy to protect their heritage. But in the end common sense told me that I did not want anything that valuable in my house (I would have a target on my door) and that I might have to lose my home if it were not paid for. But the beauty of art is that it suspends common sense at times and gives flight to the imagination. I still see that brush pot there.
DarcsFalcon
December 12, 2011
It’s an exquisite piece. At least you can look at the pictures and relive the memories you have of it.
And you have the comfort of knowing that your home is safe, and that in a sense, your grandmother and parents are still taking care of you, in the sense that they left it for you. 
I’m so glad it’s all finally been cleared up! Just in time for Christmas.
samhenry
December 13, 2011
This thought is what I had as well and it has comforted me in having to let it go. It is an earthly thing and you know it is ill advised to lay treasure up upon it.
Bridget March
December 30, 2011
What a touching story. I found your article because I am about to set sail on an Asian adventure of my own for two or three years. My aim is to create a body of work in paintings, etchings and drawings and to develop some artist books. I don’t have children of my own and part of the reason for my journey is to bring Asia alive in the minds of my great nephews and nieces in the same way your grandmother’s pot did for you. Your brush pot has sparked my imagination – thank you.
samhenry
December 30, 2011
Bridget I am, in turn, touched by your reaction. I do hope people realize the importance of having beautiful, touchable art around for children as they grow. I was a docent at our local art gallery and we used to take genuine works of art that could be touched out in the “art mobile” to schools. Somehow, art has to be part of children’s loves or it never will be. Ditto music. Do you have a blog where we may follow your journey? My mother got me going with China when I was young and she read me Marjorie Flack’s “The Story of Ping.” It was about a little duck who lived on a junk in the Yangtze River. The illustrator had lived in China for many years. So let us keep up with you!