A FINELY CARVED AND INSCRIBED DUAN INKSTONE QING DYNASTY, 18TH / 19TH CENTURY

the dark greyish-brown stone of rectangular section, carved in shallow relief with a large wine jar, its recessed body forming the washer and its oval mouth rim shaping the inkwell, below three raised zhuanshu characters reading ping xin yan ('the inkstone of peace'), the underside engraved with a seven column poem titled qin qiao zhi shi yan ge ('Legend of the Qin Dynasty bridge') pertaining to a lost inkstone, and signed Yipiao followed by two seals Chen Xue and Shengbai, enclosed in a hardwood fitted box and cover, inset with a celadon jade dragon plaque

A private Japanese collection.

Chugoku no Meiken, Goto Art Museum, Tokyo, 1977, cat. no. 62.

Ko Meiken, Tokyo, 1976, no. 216.

There are some chips along the edges of the inkstone and some expected age cracks to the wood box and cover but overall the inkstone is in quite good condition with a smooth age patina.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Bi Xue (1681-1770), zi Shengbai, hao Yipiao, was famous for his achievement in medical studies. He also excelled in poetry and painting, and has written a book Yipiao Zhai shi cun [Collected poems of the Yipiao Zhai].