A SANCAI-GLAZED PEDESTAL INKSTONE TANG DYNASTY

of circular section, raised on twelve legs moulded in the form of dragon-heads issuing clouds of smoke and resting on a plain ring, the central grinding stone encircled by a shallow groove, applied overall save the top and underside with brilliant splashes of green and amber over the straw-coloured ground, the unglazed areas showing the pale beige body

Purchased from Eskenazi, London.

Although Tang Dynasty inkstones of this basic shape are well known, it is very rare to find an example with such elaborately moulded legs.

The dating of this piece is consistent with the result of a thermoluminescence test, Oxford, sample no.266r60.