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Blue and White Porcelain Bitong (Brush Pot)

Cylindrical blue and white porcelain brush pot featuring scholars playing Go in a garden setting.

Estimated value

$2,500 - $8,000

Rarity

Scarce(6/10)

Era

late 17th to early 18th century (Kangxi Period style)

Origin

🇨🇳 China

Authenticity

Moderate(55%)
11

BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN BITONG (BRUSH POT): IDENTIFICATION

A cylindrical porcelain brush pot, or bitong, decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with a narrative figural scene. The composition depicts scholars gathered around a table playing Go (Weiqi) within a garden pavilion setting, accompanied by attendants and set against plantain leaves and folding screens. The painting exhibits the 'Master of the Rocks' style typical of the late 17th century, characterized by rhythmic line work and wash gradients.

Compare with other ceramic pieces in the archive: Alabaster Urn-Shaped Vase, Han Dynasty Style Glazed Ceramic Boar Figurine, Chinese Blue and White 'Three Friends of Winter' Stem Cup, Ming Style.

PRODUCTION & FIRING

This form and decorative program are characteristic of the Transitional period (circa 1620-1683) through the early Kangxi reign (1662-1722) of the Qing Dynasty. During this era, the collapse of imperial patronage at Jingdezhen led kilns to cater to the literati class, resulting in high-quality ...
This form and decorative program are characteristic of the Transitional period (circa 1620-1683) through the early Kangxi reign (1662-1722) of the Qing Dynasty. During this era, the collapse of imperial patronage at Jingdezhen led kilns to cater to the literati class, resulting in high-quality wares depicting scenes from popular literature and classical history. Similar narrative bitong from the Kangxi period were sold at Christie's London in 2017 and 2018, showcasing the era's focus on scholar-official ideals.

SCARCITY

Scarce80-90%
CommonLegendary

Genuinely harder to find. Perhaps only dozens come to market annually. Collectors actively watch for these pieces.

Rarity 6/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 5 ceramics items at rarity 6 or higher.

Typical Characteristics

  • Dozens per year at market
  • Documented provenance valued
  • Active collector pursuit

Confidence Factors

  • High prevalence of 19th and 20th-century reproductions of Kangxi narrative wares
  • Rim fritting is consistent with period pieces but often artificially induced in later copies
  • Base and interior views are necessary to confirm paste body and kiln support marks
How does authenticity detection work?

CERAMICIST'S ASSESSMENT

Ceramics Historian & Kiln Specialist

Ceramics Expert

The iconography and painting style strongly align with the Kangxi period, but the proliferation of high-quality late Qing and Republic-era copies necessitates a physical inspection of the footrim for certainty.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Narrative 'Master of the Rocks' style brushwork is consistent with late 17th-century production.
  • 2The cylindrical 'bitong' form with a slightly waisted profile is typical of the Kangxi era.
  • 3Cobalt blue palette displays multiple tonal gradations rather than a flat, uniform application.
  • 4Presence of 'moth-eaten' rim fritting suggests authentic age-related glaze degradation.

UNCERTAINTIES

  • •Smoothness of the glaze in the photograph may mask modern chemical firing techniques.
  • •Lack of 'pinholes' or 'palm' spots often found on original 17th-century Jingdezhen wares.

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Provide a high-resolution photo of the underside (base) to check for a 'channel' foot or marks.
  • →Take a close-up of the interior bottom to inspect for 'swirl' marks from the potter's wheel.
  • →Use a UV light to check the rim for invisible restoration or overpainting.

CONDITION & GRADE

Condition

Visible fritting along the top rim and a possible hairline crack near the base; the footrim likely shows typical unglazed paste with iron-oxide orange tinting.

CERAMICS MARKET VALUE

$2,500 - $8,000

Updated: May 11, 2026

Who buys this

Specialist collectors of Chinese scholar's objects and institutional buyers focusing on Qing dynasty narrative ceramics.

What increases value

  • •Continuity of the narrative scene without interruption
  • •Vibrancy of the cobalt blue (the 'sapphire' blue of Kangxi)
  • •Existence of a Kangxi mark or a period-appropriate blank base

What lowers value

  • •Hidden cracks or professional restoration to the rim
  • •Attribution as a 19th-century 'Guangxu' period copy rather than 17th-century original

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Translucent 'muslin' glaze texture with minimal iron spots
  • •Exceptional detail in facial expressions and textile patterns of the figures

Grade & condition

Condition of the rim, presence of hairlines, and the clarity of the cobalt blue firing.

Rarity & demand

ScarceHigh demandModerate liquidity
Browse similar ceramics objects

For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

FROM THE CABINET OF

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