Bronze Dragon Covered Ink Slab, Qianlong Mark & Period



We are offering an extremely rare and beautiful Imperial items of a bronze covered circular ink slab from the Emperor's study. Circular covered ink slabs were popular in early Chinese culture of Tang Dynasty or earlier. Many pottery and stone examples are known from archaeological finds. This Qing Imperial example copied the archaic shape with contemporaneous Imperial decoration. The interior of this covered ink slab has a band of trough surrounding a center circular concave well for grinding ink or pigment cakes. The exterior of the cover is decorated in moulded and carved relief with a center roundel of a curled five-claw Imperial dragon chasing a flaming pearl surrounded by eight auspicious Buddhist emblems. The vessel is supported on three raised rectangular feet. The base has an indented center of convex surface where a four-character Qianlong Imperial mark is carved in the center. The bronze surface is covered with silvery black patina with speckles of parcel gilt. Except for a small dent at rim the cover and normal surface wear, the magnificent Imperial literati ink slab is in excellent condition. Size: Diameter: 15cm; Height: 2.8cm

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