Chinese scholar's brush rests, also known as brush racks, are small, decorative objects used to hold writing brushes. They have a long history in Chinese art and culture, dating back to the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD).

The earliest brush rests were made of jade or other precious materials, and were typically used by members of the imperial court or wealthy scholars. During the Song dynasty (960-1279 AD), brush rests became more widely used by scholars and artists, and were often made of porcelain, lacquer, or wood.

In the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the art of brush rest making reached its peak, with many elaborate and ornate examples being produced. These brush rests were often decorated with intricate designs, including landscapes, figures, and calligraphy.

During the Qing dynasty (1644-1912 AD), brush rests continued to be produced, but the style became more restrained and refined. Qing dynasty more...

48 items found:

These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.

A pair of Chinese Yixing pottery lotus root brush rests,…

Chinese Yixing Pottery Lotus Root Brush Rests and Bowl

A pair of Chinese Yixing pottery lotus root brush rests, together with a Yixing pottery bowl, (3 items), the brush rests 19 cm long

A Chinese silver and gold inlaid bronze brush rest; Ming…

Chinese Silver and Gold Inlaid Brush Rest

A Chinese silver and gold inlaid bronze brush rest; Ming (1368-1644) or Qing Dynasty (1644-1912); the scales and hair in silver inlay, with a golden ball at the chest. 4 cm wide, 20 cm long

A Chinese Fencai/Famille rose brush rest, Shijingtangzhi mark;…

Qing Dynasty Famille Rose Brush Rest with Palace Scene

A Chinese Fencai/Famille rose brush rest, Shijingtangzhi mark; Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), dated Jiaqing 1798; modelled as an open book decorated to the top with a finely painted scene of a palace surrounded by mountains, the reverse with an eight character…

A jade 'Mountain' brushrest, in the form of a range of mountain…

Jade Mountain Brushrest with Russet Striations

A jade 'Mountain' brushrest, in the form of a range of mountain peaks, the pale whitish stone with russet striations, wood stand, 14.3 cm long

An unusual iron 'Mountain' brushrest Qing dynasty, 19th century,…

Iron Mountain Brushrest, Qing Dynasty

An unusual iron 'Mountain' brushrest Qing dynasty, 19th century, in the form of a range of mountain peaks of different heights, fitted wood stand, 21.5 cm long

Chinese rock crystal brush rest, depicting two peaches beside…

Rock Crystal Brush Rest with Peaches and Brocade Stand

Chinese rock crystal brush rest, depicting two peaches beside pierced branches and leaves, together with brocade stand and documents, height 7.5 cm and length 14.5 cm (carving)

Chinese carved wooden brush rest, carved in the form of a…

Chinese Mountain Figure Brush Rest

Chinese carved wooden brush rest, carved in the form of a figure in the mountains amongst pine trees, length 16 cm

Stunning Chinese Qing Dynasty, 18th century ivory brush rest,…

18th Century Chinese Ivory Brush Rest with Carved Tree Branches

Stunning Chinese Qing Dynasty, 18th century ivory brush rest, beautifully carved with branch of a tree, surrounded by pine branches, bamboo and prunus, verso carved with a spray of bamboo, on wooden stand, length 11.5 cm (not including height on stand). …

Chinese green jade brush rest, of rectangular form with curved…

Chinese Green Jade Brush Rest with Inscriptions

Chinese green jade brush rest, of rectangular form with curved side, the front incised with Chinese script, length 18 cm and width 8 cm

A Chinese pale greenish-white and russet jade mountain-form…

Qing Dynasty Jade Brush Rest with Mountain and Wildlife Motifs

A Chinese pale greenish-white and russet jade mountain-form brush rest, Qing Dynasty, 19th century carved as three mountains, a deer and a crane separated by a pine tree are shown on one side, while a bat, a waterfall and another pine tree are on the…

A celadon jade brush rest in the form of a Lingzhi, Qing…

Celadon Jade Lingzhi Brush Rest - Qing Dynasty

A celadon jade brush rest in the form of a Lingzhi, Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) the brush rest is well carved in the form of a lingzhi. The stone is of an even pale celadon tone with russet inclusions, wood stand 15.5 cm wide, 379g. Provenance: an important…

A Chinese carved rock crystal brush rest in the form of Li Bai,…

Li Bai Rock Crystal Brush Rest

A Chinese carved rock crystal brush rest in the form of Li Bai, Qing Dynasty, 20th century the finely carved figure with long beard and a smile on his face, laying against a rock. It is with the original fitted wood stand. 20 11 cm wide, 6 cm high.…

Unusual Chinese bronze scholars brush rest, in the form of…

Chinese Bronze Scholars Brush Rest on Wooden Stand

Unusual Chinese bronze scholars brush rest, in the form of mountain and walled city with figures on horse back on wooden stand, 23 cm x 25 cm

Chinese jade scholars brush rest, in the form of a scroll,…

Chinese Jade Scroll Brush Rest with Mountain Scene

Chinese jade scholars brush rest, in the form of a scroll, carved with a mountain scene with calligraphy, length 11.5 cm

Fine Chinese jade and wood scholars brush rest, set with a…

Chinese Jade Dragon Brush Rest on Wooden Stand

Fine Chinese jade and wood scholars brush rest, set with a rectangular jade panel carved with a rampant dragon, flanked by characters to each end, on a wooden stand, length 16 cm

Six Chinese hardstone carvings including pendants, Qing Dynasty…

Chinese hardstone carvings from Qing and Republic periods

Six Chinese hardstone carvings including pendants, Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) and Republic period (1912-1949), comprising: a five-mountain rock crystal brush rest, an agate peach, a lapis goldfish and lotus group, a blue Beijing glass gourd and vine pendant…

Chinese scholars brush rest, in the form of rocky crags with a…

White Glazed Rocky Crag Rest

Chinese scholars brush rest, in the form of rocky crags with a weathered surface and irregular hollows, in a white glaze, length 16.5 cm

Chinese porcelain brush rest, of rectangular form raised on…

Green Landscape Porcelain Brush Rest with Bamboo Legs

Chinese porcelain brush rest, of rectangular form raised on four legs, simulating bamboo, the top decorated with landscape scene, in lime green tones, accented with gilt, mark to base, length 9 cm

A rock crystal 'dragon and wave' brush rest, Qing dynasty 23.3…

Qing Dynasty Dragon and Wave Brush Rest

A rock crystal 'dragon and wave' brush rest, Qing dynasty 23.3 cm long. Provenance: Collection of Ross Gordon, Brisbane, until 2002

Chinese rock crystal brush rest, in the form of continuous…

Mountain-shaped Chinese Crystal Brush Rest with Certificate

Chinese rock crystal brush rest, in the form of continuous mountains, length 11 cm, with certificate

Chinese bronze brush rest, probably Qing Dynasty, in the form…

Qing Dynasty Dragon Bronze Brush Rest

Chinese bronze brush rest, probably Qing Dynasty, in the form of a dragon standing on all fours with head raised in air, length 16.5 cm. Provenance: The Fretwell collection

Chinese jade brush rest, in the form of a rocky outcrop, in…

Pale Chinese Jade Brush Rest in Rocky Outcrop Form

Chinese jade brush rest, in the form of a rocky outcrop, in pale tones, length 14 cm

A carved russet and celadon jade brush rest in the form of a…

Russet and Celadon Jade Brush Rest

A carved russet and celadon jade brush rest in the form of a rocky outcrop 4 cm high, 11 cm wide

A jade brush rest carved as a Scholar's rock, the roughly hewn…

Jade Scholar's Rock Brush Rest

A jade brush rest carved as a Scholar's rock, the roughly hewn celadon jade carved as a rest for two brushes, length 11 cm

Four early Chinese scholars objects, including four brush rests…

Chinese Scholar's Brush Rest Collection from Dorothy Savage

Four early Chinese scholars objects, including four brush rests in celadon, brown glaze, famille rose, and blue and white, (4). Provenance: The collection of the late Dorothy Savage, latterly Dorothy Fu (1930-2010)

Chinese carved boxwood brush rest, (length 28 cm).

Chinese Boxwood Brush Rest, 28 cm

Chinese carved boxwood brush rest, (length 28 cm).

A Chinese carved hardstone brush rest, Republic period…

Chinese Republic Carved Hardstone Brush Rest

A Chinese carved hardstone brush rest, Republic period (1912-1949) 6 cm high, 12 cm wide

An agate brushrest, in the form of a rocky mound with pine and…

Agate Brushrest with Pine, Prunus, and Bamboo Relief Carving

An agate brushrest, in the form of a rocky mound with pine and blossoming prunus branches and bamboo growing from the crevices, carved in pierced relief using the opaque brownish areas to highlight the carving in the mushroom coloured stone with russet…

Stunning Chinese Qing Dynasty, 18th century ivory brush rest,…

18th Century Qing Dynasty Ivory Brush Rest

Stunning Chinese Qing Dynasty, 18th century ivory brush rest, beautifully carved with branch of a tree, surrounded by pine branches, bamboo and prunus, verso carved with a spray of bamboo, on wooden stand, length 11.5 cm (not including height on stand).…

A celadon jade 'phoenix and lingzhi' brush rest, Qing dynasty,…

Celadon Jade Phoenix and Lingzhi Brush Rest

A celadon jade 'phoenix and lingzhi' brush rest, Qing dynasty, the long-tailed bird perched on entwined openwork branches bearing numerous fungus stems in high and pierced relief, the pale celadon stone of even tone with a slight russet striation, fitted…

A Chinese soapstone scholar's brush rest, using the natural…

Jade Brush Rest with Poem and Artist Name

A Chinese soapstone scholar's brush rest, using the natural shape, inscribed with a poem and artist name, the poem describing the golden jade and appreciating the quality from Jing Shan mountain, on the underside, Jin Yu Qi Xiang, the jade with gold and…

A Chinese gilded bronze dragon brush rest. the cast animated…

Gilded Chinese Dragon Brush Rest

A Chinese gilded bronze dragon brush rest. the cast animated stylised dragon with distressed gilding throughout. Height 6 cm. Width 8.5 cm

Chinese incised wood brush rest. Length 14 cm

Chinese Wood Brush Rest, 14cm

Chinese incised wood brush rest. Length 14 cm

Chinese carved rosewood and jade brush rest width 28 cm approx

Chinese Rosewood and Jade Brush Rest - 28cm Width

Chinese carved rosewood and jade brush rest width 28 cm approx

Chinese dragon/fish brush rest 12 cm long approx.

Chinese Dragon/Fish Brush Rest - 12cm

Chinese dragon/fish brush rest 12 cm long approx.

A Chinese bamboo brush rest, early Qing dynasty, 17th-18th…

Qing Dynasty Scholar Brush Rest

A Chinese bamboo brush rest, early Qing dynasty, 17th-18th century, in the form of a scholar seated on a rock-work platform, two characters inscription and one seal

A hardwood brushrest Qing dynasty resembling zitan, carved as a…

Zitan Brushrest with Mountainous Landscape and Figure

A hardwood brushrest Qing dynasty resembling zitan, carved as a mountainous landscape with a figure in a sampan beneath a gnarled pine tree and others on the shore, the dark wood with smooth dark patina 20.5 cm long

A simulated 'lingbi rock' mountain-form brushrest…

Qianlong Lingbi Rock Brushrest with Turquoise Accents

A simulated 'lingbi rock' mountain-form brushrest naturalistically formed as rocky crags with a weathered surface and irregular hollows, the dark glaze accented with spots of turquoise simulating lichen, the underside with an impressed four-character seal…

Chinese porcelain brush rest, approx 9 cm x 18 cm

Chinese Porcelain Brush Rest - 9x18cm

Chinese porcelain brush rest, approx 9 cm x 18 cm

A group of four Chinese porcelain scholar's desk pieces, late…

Chinese Porcelain Scholar's Desk Set, Late Qing Dynasty

A group of four Chinese porcelain scholar's desk pieces, late Qing Dynasty, late 19th century, comprising a scrolled wrist rest, an oval inkstone, a brush wash with a quatrefoil aperture, and a pierced rectangular brush rest, all with underglaze blue…

A pair of Chinese carved rhino horn brush rests a matching pair…

Chinese Carved Rhino Horn Brush Rests

A pair of Chinese carved rhino horn brush rests a matching pair of brush rests decorated with lightly carved images of branches carrying blossoms. Height 1.6 cm; width 7.4 cm; Depth 2.8 cm. Note: See report: carved objects examination certificate,…

A Chinese jade brush rest/ ink bed length 9 cm

Chinese Jade Brush Rest/Ink Bed - 9cm Length

A Chinese jade brush rest/ ink bed length 9 cm

A Chinese porcelain ink stone, late Qing Dynasty (late 19th…

Wucai porcelain ink stone with bird scenes

A Chinese porcelain ink stone, late Qing Dynasty (late 19th /early 20th century), of squat barrel form, with a shallow depression for mixing ink and moulded brush rests, decorated with patterned reserves in a wucai palette interspersed with bird scenes.…

A Chinese hardstone brush rest, 20th century, together with two…

Chinese Hardstone Brush Rest and Brushes with Box

A Chinese hardstone brush rest, 20th century, together with two hard stone brushes, fitted box. 3 cm high, 10 cm wide and 4,2 cm deep, brushes 17 cm long. Provenance: Acquired in Hong Kong between 1957 and 1968 and brought to Melbourne early 1969 and…

Unusual Chinese bronze brush rest in shape of sage with a…

Chinese Sage Brush Rest with Teapot Design

Unusual Chinese bronze brush rest in shape of sage with a teapot. Length 10 cm.

Pair of blue & white brush rests, decorated with erotic scenes…

Blue and White Erotic Brush Rests

Pair of blue & white brush rests, decorated with erotic scenes (2)

Unusual Chinese bronze brush rest, 10 cm x 7 cm

Chinese Bronze Brush Rest: Unique Design

Unusual Chinese bronze brush rest, 10 cm x 7 cm

Chinese bronze brush rest with mythical beasts. Qianlong mark…

Qianlong Bronze Brush Rest with Mythical Beasts

Chinese bronze brush rest with mythical beasts. Qianlong mark to base. Length 21 cm