Eternal Prosperity Bamboo Brush Pot

A Qing-dynasty scholar once rested his calligraphy brushes in this exceptional brush pot. Appealing to the scholar’s appreciation for natural forms, the pot takes its form directly from the cylindrical shape of bamboo. Naturalistic carvings of heads of cabbage decorate the pot as symbols of long-lasting prosperity, a reference to the similar pronunciation of the Chinese word for “cabbage” as that for “hundred” and “wealth.” In China, heads of cabbage can still be seen displayed outside homes as a bow to tradition and a wish for wealth and well being.