Pair of inscribed tea caddies

Inscription: The inside faces of each caddy bear a four-character “title” in archaic seal script followed by the transcription of a text in standard script. The right-hand caddy opens with the title “Fragrance of Orchids” (芝蘭氣味). This is followed by the full text of “A Scholar’s Humble Dwelling” (陋室銘), a famous poem praising a simple but lofty lifestyle by the Tang dynasty (618-907) poet Liu Yuxi (刘禹锡772-842). Following the poem the maker of the caddy has incised his sobriquet, “Master of the Bamboo Residence” (竹居主人), and his seal, “Bamboo Residence” (竹居). The left-hand caddy opens with the title “Mind Free and Spirit Happy” (心曠神怡). This is followed by an excerpt from “Record of the Garden of Solitary Enjoyment” (獨樂園記), an essay on his personal garden by Sima Guang (司馬光1019-1086), a well-known statesman and historian of the Song dynasty (960-1279). Following this text are the pewter artist’s signature and seal: “Made by Shen Cunzhou (沈存周製)” and “Cun Zhou (存周).”

The base of each caddy also bears a poem. The right-hand caddy is incised in clerical script with a seven-character couplet from the poem “Green Shade Pavilion” (綠蔭亭) by the Song dynasty poet Wang Qi (王奇997-1022). The excerpt reads:
Mountain scenery rises above my eaves on all sides;
Sounds of a stream come from the bamboo grove.
四圍山色簷頭出，一帶泉聲竹裡來
The text on the left-hand caddy, incised in running script, is a seven-character quatrain by the Yuan dynasty poet Huang Zhencheng (黃鎮成1287-1362). Entitled “Spring Outing to Nearby Mountains” (春日行近山), the poem reads:
Outside the gate the mountain lad sweeps beneath the sunset clouds,
Asking about the master, yet to return from the mountains.
Beside the window a guest sits amidst the clouds;
Fanning a brazier to boil the melted snow.
門外山童掃落霞，問師還只在山家
推窗引客雲邊坐，自扇風爐煮雪花
The poem is followed by a seal of the artist: “Bamboo Residence” (竹居).

[ Unidentified dealer , Tokyo, until 1961; sold to unidentified collector]; [ Christie's, New York , until 2006; sale "Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art", ; to Moss]; [ Hugh M. Moss Limited British, London, until 2020; sold to Lally]; [ J. J. Lally & Co. , New York, until 2020; sold to MMA]

Elegantly Made; Art for the Chinese Literati. New York: J. J. Lally & Co., 2020, cat. no. 13.