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Shunzhi Pd. Ink Stone and Box - dtd. 1646 browse these categories for related items... All Items: Archives:Regional Art:Asian:Chinese: Pre 1700: item # 194581 Please refer to our stock # IchiV1005 when inquiring.
Ichiban Japanese & Oriental Antiques Post Office Box 395 Marion, CT 06444-0395 203.272.7392 Guest Book SOLD - $2,495.00 |
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| Shunzhi Pd. Ink Stone and Box dating from 1646. This is a classic Scholars Inkstone in a patinated wooden box dating to the Shunzhi period, early Qing Dynasty, 1646. The box is inscribed “Owned by Sun Jiuchen” and the back of the inkstone bears extensive calligraphy that has been incised into the stone. The top of the stone – below the area where the ink was ground - is an elaborate carving of a dragon in waves. We are not sure what the wooden box is made of – it has the characteristic hair-like grain of zitan – yet also the wavy grain usually associated with huanghauli wood. Whatever it is, the wood is simply beautiful and the patina is superb. The outer box measures 8 1/2” long x 6 ¼” wide x 2 1/8” high. The inkstone within measures 7 7/8” long x 5 ¼” wide x 7/8” thick. The entire ensemble is in excellent condition with no cracks or restorations – just the beautiful patina of 350 years. An old Gallery label from one of the finest Asian Antiques galleries in the Northeast is affixed. Asia-Art.net has this to say about inkstones – “Considering the reverence traditionally educated Chinese scholars had for the brush and ink, their interest in the inkstone was even greater. The inkstone, which was used to grind the ink, was considered the very soul of a scholar’s library. These stones were selected with the greatest of care and were often decorated with elaborate symbols or literary phrases thought to encourage the scholar’s production of higher sentiments. While there are many exceptions, most inkstones are rectangular or rounded. Most are in fact made of stone but examples of pottery also exist. The definitive work on this subject is probably Mi Fu’s “Yen shih” or Account of Inkstones. This work gives the proper name for all portions of the Inkstone and sets out the various characteristics of Inkstones and their use. Later but also fascinating works on Inkstones include the “Yen lin” or Forest of Inkstones by Yu Huai, which was written in the 1600s. This was followed by “Pao yen t’ang yen pien” or Discussion of Inkstones from the Hall of Treasured Inkstones” by Ho Chu’an-yao and “Tuan his yen shih” or Account of Tuan Hi’s Stones by Wu Lan-hsui, both of which were published in the 1830s. Inkstones are an acquired taste like several other facets of Chinese culture. They are generally black or dark in color and do not draw the attention of the eye. Holding an antique inkstone, it is hard not to feel the power that emanated from the previous painter or scholar who possessed this stone. For this reason, inkstones are avidly collected and treasured by Chinese and some foreigners. Copyright© Runckel & Associates, Inc.” | |||||||||||||||
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