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A Carved Chinese Scholar Duan Ink Stone – 17th Century Kangxi Period 清康熙“福在眼前”端砚

  • Produced in Zhaoqing city, Guangdong province in South China, in over 1000 years, the Duan inkstone has been one of the most famous inkstones in China.  Duan inkstones were first produced during the Wude reign (618-626) of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is made of Duan stone from the Duanxi River running at the foot of Lanke Mountain, hence the name. Famed as the stone material being very fine and doing no damages to the writing brush. Duan inkstone has had a high reputation among Chinese scholars ever since. The key to making Duan inkstones is collecting the proper stones. It was very hard to hand pick flawless stones in ancient China. Any cracks inside the stone can cause damage during carving. The cave where the duan stone was mined was only about 80cm high, and collectors had to squat, sit or lie down to collect the stone. Therefore, a good old duan ink stone is not easy to come by in ancient China.
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  • Condition: Very good condition with no damage or repair.
  • 清康熙“福在眼前”端砚