Posted 14 years ago
SummerBeach9
(1 item)
I bought this Inkwell in an antique store in Columbus Ohio 20 years ago. It is very heavy and I am not sure how it was made or what it is made of. It feels like a rock but the top appears to pressed from a mold. I put a small vase with a plant on it and the black lacquer came off turning into a green circle. I am not sure if I should try to refurbish my piece or what to use it for. Tracy in Texas.
The decoration looks export Chinese. That looks like it might be nickel silver?
It's a Chinese inkstone. Pretty nice one. I would suggest wash and wipe it down with water . . . might want to get a toothbrush for the small details.
The upper flat area is for grinding ink stick with water to produce black ink, and the bottom level is the reservoir for the ink runoff.
There are four kind of carving stones in China which are used to create the calligraphy inkwells. (DuanYan, Gansu, Anhui, and Shanxi Gelian).