Zitan Wooden Brush Rest. Mythical Beast design. 9 3/4 inches long. 3 1/2 inches at tallest point. 2 1/4 inches wide.From the very ancient times, dating as early as in the 3rd century in Cui Baos Gu jin zhu (Explanation and Ancient and Modern Matters), Chinese have considered zitan the most precious wood. Perhaps because it is so rare, many more pieces were made from huanghuali than from zitan. Because of the particular scarcity of large zitan trees, large pieces of zitan furniture are exceptional treasures.During the Ming and Qing periods, with European and American expatriates coming to China, zitan furniture first became widely exposed to the world. The export of zitan furniture started during this period. Some of the most exquisite pieces, which typically appear in international auction houses, are often pieces documented as missing in Chinese historical books. Antique zitan furniture is among the most expensive furniture in auction markets, mainly because there are so few pieces and the scarcity of the wood means that they are typically constructed to the highest standards.

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