BAMBOO BRUSHPOT 5 GOATS

5 GOATS BAMBOO BRUSHPOT
QING PERIOD 1644 to 1911

The colour of this brushpot is actually : " Dark Wine shades " it appears lighter in the images.
A cylindrical brush pot standing on three feet carved with a continuous scene of 5 long haired shaggy goats, four standing in various poses, one reclining.
Different seal marks carved in a variety of shapes set around, fine details, superbly carved in high relief.
The collar with stylised keylock design.
Calligraphy.

Formerly the property of a Japanese collector - acquired over 40 years ago.

Refer the large images for details & condition. Depending on your computer monitor / phone / ipad etc. colour may vary to actual.

Condition: Very good, hairlines commensurate with age. Some light exposure
Height about : 16.3 cm
Diameter about: 11.6 cm
Weight about: 324 grams
A$450

NOTE: It is very possible that this brushpot depicting 5 GOATS alludes to an ancient myth concerning the city of Guangzhou which is located in Guangdong Province.
Specific details of the legend vary, the story is that during the reign 899 BC to 892 BC of King Yi ( 周懿王 ) of the Zhou Dynasty, the ancient city of Guangzhou ( chuting 楚庭 ) suffered a great famine.
The fields were parched and the people were starving. One day, five immortals ( celestial beings ) descended from the sky.
Each immortal rode a goat and floated down on a cloud. In the mouths of each goat was a six-eared rice stalk.
The immortals blessed the land to be forever free of famine and gave the stalks of rice to the people.
The immortals then rode their clouds back into the sky. The five goats remained on a hillside and were transformed into stone.
With the gift of the rice stalks the famine ended and Guangzhou has enjoyed bountiful harvests ever since.
Based on this myth, Guangzhou is known as the City of Goats ( yangcheng 羊城 ), Sheaves of Rice City ( suicheng 穗城 ) and the City of Five Goats (wuyangcheng 五羊城).