Page 115 - Decorative Arts, Part II: Far Eastern Ceramics and Paintings, Persian and Indian Rugs and Carpets

foot-ring and reignmark foot-ring and reignmark foot-ring and reignmark
on base of 1942.9.484 on base of 1942.9.488 on base of 1942.9.489

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1942.9.488 and 1942.9.489 form a pair and are of in these pieces. Another chipped brush washer of this type
approximately the same size as most of the published is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 8
pale blue brush washers. However, they were most likely As these vessels are typically glazed on the rim, the
not produced as a matched set; one brush washer would unusual biscuit rim on 1942.9.489 suggests that it may
have been usual for a scholar's desk. These two were have been ground down by a collector eager to eliminate
probably brought together later by Chinese collectors for disfiguring small chips, such as those that remain on its
9
their own appreciation or for sale to Westerners. mate. Examination under a microscope, however, does
In contrast to 1942.9.484, the pair has a more pellucid not reveal the characteristic marks left by grinding. This
pale blue color, which might more aptly be described as washer may be best compared to two examples formerly
moonlight. The noticeable damage sustained by 1942.9.488 in the Paul and Helen Bernat collection. In all these
testifies to its past use, the chips being the result of knocks pieces the glaze darkens at the outer rim to form a slight
from the ferrules of a brush. There does not, however, "halo" encircling the mouth. 10
appear to be any ink residue, as is sometimes encountered VB

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