The color here suggests to me that there was a lot of copper where this soapstone was. The beautiful reddish hue with black selling striations make this stunning piece jump.
There are 2 brush pots and 2 monkeys. The monkeys appear to be wrestling and under them is a shallow dish, probably used to dilute the dyes/colors. Two birds appear to be trying to get in on the action but one is under the foot of a monkey and the other is pushed to the back of the fray. There are incised flowers on the faces of the jars.
This carving is approximately 9" long and 9" high. It is 2" across at its widest. This particular piece is in very very good condition with a few small chips on the edges of the 2 pots. In the photograph, there is what looks like a crack but it is actually an occlusion in the stone and not damage.
Product code: Hand Carved Soapstone with 2 Brush selling Pots, a shallow dish, and 2 monkeys - Vintage Chinese Brush Pot