Chinese scholar's wrist and arm rests made of ivory, bamboo, and porcelain were important tools for calligraphy and painting, as well as for general writing and reading. They were designed to provide support and comfort to the writer's arm and wrist, allowing for steady and precise strokes.

Ivory wrist and arm rests were common during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties. They were often elaborately carved with intricate designs and scenes from Chinese mythology, nature, and everyday life. Ivory was considered a precious material, and the creation of ivory wrist and arm rests required a high degree of skill and craftsmanship.

Bamboo wrist and arm rests were also popular among Chinese scholars, particularly during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1279-1368) dynasties. Bamboo was a readily available material and was lightweight, durable, and easy to carve. Bamboo wrist and arm rests were often simple more...

33 items found:

These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.

Chinese hardwood wrist rest, of rounded rectangular form,…

Chinese hardwood wrist rest, of rounded rectangular form, carved with scene of pine tree, in a black finish, height 3 cm and length 29.5 cm

Vintage Chinese carved bamboo wrist rest calligrapher's carved…

Chinese Carved Bamboo Wrist Rest with Character Script

Vintage Chinese carved bamboo wrist rest calligrapher's carved bamboo wrist rest, decorated with carved character script, length 24.5 cm

Two wrist rests, 19th/20th century, comprising one of dark…

19th/20th Century Wrist Rests with Floral and Bamboo Designs

Two wrist rests, 19th/20th century, comprising one of dark hardwood probably zitan, carved in relief with flowering prunus branches over the arched surface, the other of bamboo incised with bamboo and rockwork, 27.5 cm and 25.5 cm long

An unusual hardwood wrist rest, 19th/20th century, the dark…

Gnarled Prunus Wrist Rest with Toad and Blossom

An unusual hardwood wrist rest, 19th/20th century, the dark wood probably zitan, carved in the form of a gnarled section of a prunus trunk with a blossoming branch extending from one side below a three legged toad in high relief climbing up the side, the…

Blue Peking glass wrist rest engraved with two birds perched on…

Peking Glass Wrist Rest with Bird Engravings

Blue Peking glass wrist rest engraved with two birds perched on a tree, length 21 cm

A Chinese bamboo wrist rest decorated with lotus's leaf. Height…

Lotus Leaf Bamboo Wrist Rest

A Chinese bamboo wrist rest decorated with lotus's leaf. Height 7.5 cm, width 26 cm

Pair of Chinese bamboo wrist rests, one carved with a figure of…

Chinese Bamboo Wrist Rests with Immortal and Scholar's Rock

Pair of Chinese bamboo wrist rests, one carved with a figure of an immortal the other carved with scholars rock, both signed, length 25,5 cm, 23 cm (2)

A Chinese Qing Dynasty period ivory wrist rest, finely carved…

Qing Dynasty Ivory Wrist Rest with Celestial and Landscape Carvings

A Chinese Qing Dynasty period ivory wrist rest, finely carved to one side in high relief with a celestial landscape with figures of the eight gods of fortune and attendants, the other side with a sage and attendant in landscape with birds and butterfly.…

An ivory scholar's wrist rest, uncarved, a plain natural…

Uncarved Ivory Scholar's Wrist Rest

An ivory scholar's wrist rest, uncarved, a plain natural surface of the curved ivory panel, Qing Dynasty, 1644-1912. Provenance: The property of a gentleman, length 24.5 cm, width 6 cm

Antique Chinese carved ivory rest wrist form panel, with later…

Chinese carved ivory wrist rest with stand

Antique Chinese carved ivory rest wrist form panel, with later stand, 14.3 cm high, 6 cm wide (ex Falk collection)

A Chinese Qing Dynasty period ivory wrist rest, finely carved…

Qing Dynasty Ivory Wrist Rest with Allegorical Landscape

A Chinese Qing Dynasty period ivory wrist rest, finely carved to one side in high relief with an allegorical landscape with figures, the other side with calligraphic inscriptions. Provenance: The Flower Family Collection. Height 26.5 cm

A pair of Chinese carved ivory wrist rests, late Ching dynasty,…

Chinese Ivory Wrist Rests with Wooden Stands

A pair of Chinese carved ivory wrist rests, late Ching dynasty, on carved wooden stands, each wrist rest 22 cm high

A Japanese bamboo wrist rest, 19th century, carved in relief…

Bamboo Skeleton Wrist Rest

A Japanese bamboo wrist rest, 19th century, carved in relief with three skeletons in a bamboo forest, the back with a very long finely incised inscription, three character signature and two seals on the front, 20.8 cm long, 8 cm wide

A Chinese bamboo wrist rest, 19th century, finely carved in low…

Chinese Bamboo Wrist Rest with Sage and Bird Carvings

A Chinese bamboo wrist rest, 19th century, finely carved in low relief with a sage in a leafy 'Skirt' carrying a basket of peaches, a bird seated on a branch above his head, inscribed 'Bingzi (1876) Qingming Qian Yiri' and 'Jiao Yi', 25.2 cm long, 5.7 cm…

A Japanese Negoro lacquer wrist rest, Meiji period (1868-1912),…

Japanese Negoro Lacquer Wrist Rest

A Japanese Negoro lacquer wrist rest, Meiji period (1868-1912), carved with a long inscription and the artist's signature and one seal carved through the red lacquer, a wood grain finish on the side, the underside in green lacquer, 28.2 cm long, fitted…

A large pair of Chinese ivory wrist rests, late Qing dynasty,…

Chinese Ivory Wrist Rests with Carvings and Stands

A large pair of Chinese ivory wrist rests, late Qing dynasty,19th to early 20th century, one carved with a scene of figures in a mountainous retreat, the other with figures under a large tree beside rocks alongside a stream and a figure in a boat, fitted…

Chinese bamboo scholar's wrist rest, signed

Signed Chinese Bamboo Scholar's Wrist Rest

Chinese bamboo scholar's wrist rest, signed

A Chinese large ivory wrist rest, late Qing dynasty, 19-20th…

Chinese Ivory Battle Wrist Rest

A Chinese large ivory wrist rest, late Qing dynasty, 19-20th century, carved on top in low relief, and deeply carved underneath with a battle theme. 30.8 cm long and 10.3 cm wide

Chinese zitan wrist rest carved with water cranes measures 25.7…

Zitan Wrist Rest with Water Cranes Carvings

Chinese zitan wrist rest carved with water cranes measures 25.7 cm long

Pair 19th century Chinese yellow glazed wrist rests the drum…

Yellow Glazed Chinese Drum Wrist Rests with Mask Heads

Pair 19th century Chinese yellow glazed wrist rests the drum form porcelain with incised design and four mask heads to sides measure 18 cm high, 21 cm wide

A pair of Qing Dynasty Chinese ivory scholar's arm rests. 10 cm…

Qing Dynasty Ivory Scholar Arm Rests

A pair of Qing Dynasty Chinese ivory scholar's arm rests. 10 cm x 5 cm.

A Chinese ivory wrist rest, early 20th century, deeply carved…

Chinese Ivory Wrist Rest with Immortals and Mythical Animals

A Chinese ivory wrist rest, early 20th century, deeply carved on the underside with immortals riding on mythical animals, with wooden stand. 24.6 cm high. Provenance: Collection of Dr. Henry Cyril Adams

A Chinese bamboo brush pot and wrist rest, probably late Qing,…

Chinese Bamboo Brush Pot and Wrist Rest

A Chinese bamboo brush pot and wrist rest, probably late Qing, late 19th to early 20th century, the squared brush pot with an applied base having script to three faces, the wrist rest lightly engraved and inked with a gesticulating figure and script.…

A Chinese jade wrist rest. Height 37 cm

Chinese Jade Wrist Rest - 37cm Height

A Chinese jade wrist rest. Height 37 cm

A group of four Chinese porcelain scholar's desk pieces, late…

Chinese Porcelain Scholar's Desk Set, Late Qing Dynasty

A group of four Chinese porcelain scholar's desk pieces, late Qing Dynasty, late 19th century, comprising a scrolled wrist rest, an oval inkstone, a brush wash with a quatrefoil aperture, and a pierced rectangular brush rest, all with underglaze blue…

Chinese carved bamboo wrist rest 27.5 cm

Carved Bamboo Wrist Rest - 27.5 cm

Chinese carved bamboo wrist rest 27.5 cm

A carved ivory wrist rest, Qing dynasty, 19th century, the…

Ivory Wrist Rest with Lotus and Boys

A carved ivory wrist rest, Qing dynasty, 19th century, the convex underside carved in deep relief with lotus flowers and leaves growing from a tubor, the sinuous stems rising among other water plants and frogs, crabs, snails, clams and crayfish, the…

Two Chinese carved bamboo arm rests decorated with…

Chrysanthemum and Cricket Carved Bamboo Arm Rests

Two Chinese carved bamboo arm rests decorated with chrysanthemums and crickets in relief, 24 cm and 27.5 cm long approx

A very rare and unusual porcelain piece to the scholar's desk.…

Famille Rose Dragon Wrist Rest

A very rare and unusual porcelain piece to the scholar's desk. Possibly a wrist rest reticulated side and end panels, famille rose decoration in red, turquoise and yellow with a yellow dragon on the top. Six-character Daoguang (1820-1850) red seal mark.…

Chinese carved bamboo wrist rest, carved in relief, 25.5 cm long

Carved Bamboo Wrist Rest in Relief

Chinese carved bamboo wrist rest, carved in relief, 25.5 cm long

A pair of carved ivory wrist rests, 19th/20th century each of…

Carved Ivory Wrist Rests with Fisherman and Sages

A pair of carved ivory wrist rests, 19th/20th century each of tapering rectangular form, the curved exterior carved in low relief with a fisherman walking along the shore, the underside intricately carved and pierced with sages and attendants variously…

A pair of Chinese bronze wrist rests, of semi -tubular…

Chinese Bronze Landscape Wrist Rests

A pair of Chinese bronze wrist rests, of semi -tubular elongated form designed to rest the wrists while painting or undertaking calligraphy work, decorated to the curves with raised landscape scenes and to the convex interior, myriad figures upon…

Chinese carved bamboo wrist rest. Pheasant and blossom…

Carved Bamboo Wrist Rest with Pheasant Decoration

Chinese carved bamboo wrist rest. Pheasant and blossom decoration, edition on carved pierced wooden stand. Length 32 cm