Chinese Porcelain Brush Washer

Brush washer is a tool used to wash the ink remaining on the brush after it is used. It is widely favored for its delicate shape, tremendous variety and exquisite design.

In the bygone times, materials used to make the brush washer varied a lot, including porcelain, jade, agate, enamel, ivory and rhinoceros horn, all of which were quite rare and precious. The most common seen are the porcelain brush washers, of which those made of blue and white porcelain take up the majority. They are usually in a round flat shape, on which various flower patterns are decorated, presenting an appeal of simplicity, elegance and sedateness.

Pictures below show the Chinese porcelain brush washer from my collection. It is decorated with human figures on interior and bats on exterior, also a red base mark "Guan Yao Nei Zao" meaning "Imperial Kiln for Inner Palace". This mark occurs in between circa 1890 to 1903.

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