Cypress Brush Pot

Set alongside the four treasures of the study - the calligraphy brush, ink, paper, and inkstone - a brush pot was an essential fixture of the scholars' desk. Like everything in the scholars' studio, the brush pot was an opportunity to showcase the scholars' creativity and good taste.

Used to hold a collection of calligraphy brushes, this small brush pot is carved to resemble two birds resting on a gnarled tree stump. Showcasing the fine grain and light coloring of cypress (baimu), the wooden brush pot looks lovely in today's interiors as a tabletop sculpture or a planter for a single orchid.