Brush washer carved in the shape of a peach (Longevity) from a gnarled knot of wood. Cancerous growths like this knot are extremely difficult to hollow out as the grain of the wood swirls in all directions. To make it waterproof, the carving was covered in red and dark brown lacquer which has largely worn off over time. The tension within the wood has caused a crack. The brush washer dates from the Qing period (1644 - 1912) and was acquired in Shanghai in the early 1990’s. Length 10 cm. Width 7 cm. Height 4 cm.