Ceramic

During Ming and early Qing dynasties, brush pots used by the literati were made of wood, bamboo, porcelain, lacquer and even jade. Used to store brushes, brush pots were an important symbol of a scholar's refinement and, as with many scholar's objects, were often decorated with appropriate literati subject matter. Inscribed with poetry or decorated with scenes of the imperial court, nature and Chinese legends, they have become highly collectible works of art.