Qing Dynasty,Finely Cast Square Bronze Ink Slab

拍品描述

Dimensions：Side Length 30 cm (11‑3/4 in), Thickness 5 cm (2 in), Weight 8339g, 17th‑19th CenturyCondition & Provenance：The bronze slab is fully intact without deformation or cracks, original antique patina remains complete all over the surface, edges show natural age wear, embossed inscription on side wall is crisp and undamaged, matching carved wooden stand is fully preserved and stable. Former collection of antique stationery shop in Shanghai, passed into a private collector’s collection in New York City, New York State, USA in 2005 and has been well-preserved ever since.Description：This heavy solid square bronze ink slab was elaborately cast during the Qing Dynasty, a premium dual-purpose stationery item for ink grinding and paper weighting in ancient scholars’ studies. It features a perfectly regular thick square shape, extremely solid and weighty. The whole piece is cast from high-purity refined bronze, covered with naturally aged mellow jujube-red bronze patina formed over centuries. The mottled color layers are scattered with natural golden speckles, wrapped in thick restrained oxidation crust without artificial aging treatment. Four sides are smoothly polished with neat straight edges and soft rounded corners. A raised rectangular embossed inscription plaque sits at the center of one vertical side, with sharply carved neat characters representing the original cast mark of this vessel. The bronze texture is dense and heavy, weighing 8339 grams with a substantial solid hand feel. It comes with an original black lacquered wooden display stand with openwork scrolling cloud carving on four curved legs, elegant curved lines and delicate hollow-out craft, fitted with clear anti-slip foot pads to protect the wood base and set off the solemn grand bronze slab. Bronze ink slabs are scarce among Qing stationery collectibles, large solid bronze boards are rarely preserved. This specimen retains complete original patina, authentic cast inscription and matching antique wooden stand, combining practical function and decorative display value. It fully embodies elite bronze casting craftsmanship and classical Chinese literati study aesthetics of Qing China, holding outstanding stationery collectible value, ancient bronze craft research significance and decorative art worth.

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