Museum quality pieces collected by our collector's all over the world and showcased here!

On this page, we are going to showcase some of the historical She ( Shi ) inkstone that are treasured at various museums in China or other countries. Though Shi inkstone is one of the Four Treasures of Chinese study and most famous among the four best known inkstones in Chinese history. Shi inkstone has been very rare. They are most valuable, because of it's very low quantity can be found in each mine (quarry) . Many of the modern inkstone carvers in Shi county are turning to carve Duan inkstone (for example: Sulu Chen), because they can buy the big pieces of raw Duan inkstones by the kilograms. Also Shi inkstones are rare slate stone, they are much more difficult to find pieces that are big, thick and flawless. Most of the priceless historical piece are thin and small pieces. Also on this page, we will showcase some of the Museum quality inkstones that we found for our collectors. As you can see, what kind of value we provided for our customers. If you see a perticular kind of inkstone that is still not in your collection, but would like to have one. Always send us a line, so we can keep our eyes open for you. Museum quality inkstone do not come by that easy, especially dragon's tail stone. Almost all of the commercial inkstone that are offered are not Lao Kang stone anymore. Lao Kang dragon's tail stone can only be found from other collectors or some carvers who stored them up before.

Below is a Shi inkstone we found for one of our collector in Singapore. It was found from one of Qingshu Fang's student's collection. It was really rare to find such a big Lao Kang Long Eyebrows mark. The stone was flawless too. Super fine grain and rich darkness. Just as described in the poet ---- "Song of Mei Zi Shi Yan" (Song of Eyebrows Mark Shi Inkstone) by the famous Chinese Song dynasty artist and poet Su, Dongpou (Su Shi 1037 - 1101).

Dong Pou is one of the most known Song dynasty scholars in Chinese history. Born in Sichuan province. While his brother was the head of Jiqi (neighboring county to She county) county, he came to Shi county seeking for Shi inkstone. When he arrived Jiqi, thousands of workers were constructing the river bank around the city, his brother came to the western gate bridge to welcome him. Later the river bank was named "Su Gong River Bank" (Grand Father Su River Bank ), the bridge was named "Welcome Su Bridge"). After he arrived Shi county, a lot of people invited him for paintings and calligraphy. But all the inkstones used were brick instone. He wrote: "Calligraphy and painting is my whole life, inkstone is like my rice field. It's such a pity, now I am in She inkstone country. But I cannot see any Shi inkstone."

After Dong Pou's brother heard this, he put out announcement throughout the county, for prize of 500 grams of gold seeking for Shi inkstone. Among the river bank workers, one of them named Li, Xiao Yan (Li, Junior Inkstone) was a descendent of Li, Shao Wei --- the Tang Dynasty She inkstone Official (Inkstone Inspector ---- During Tang dynasty, the inkstones from Shi chou was so popular, A special inkstone official was appointed and stationed in Shi county. However at the beginning of Song dynasty, the found quarries were exhausted). Li gave one of the inkstone passed down from the family to Dong Pou. Su Shi (Su Shih) found the stone, color like transparent jade, the grain sharp and vivid, touched feel like baby's skin, fine and moist. Made ink like oil and do not dry. He wrote: "The surface is like the smooth pond --- only see the criss cross ripple, but no waves. Be the first to get up from the noon nap, the sound of the inkstick rubbing on the inkstone is like the sound of string instrument." When he gets older, he once send Shi inkstone to his son and attached was another poet praising the Shi inkstone. He wrote: "The beauty of inkstone is it's moist but able to make ink. While these two are contradictory, some make ink but damaging to brush, some not damaging to brush but do not make ink. It's difficult to have both. Only Shi inkstone absorbs the brush but do not keep the brush, so smooth almost feel slippery but not expel ink." To him, Shi inkstone is the best!

Size: 13.5x19x5.7 cm
Collected from Us by a Singapore collector
A flawless piece as praised in poet by
Su, Shih (1037--1101) ---- Song of Mei Zi Shi Inkstone

6.97x5.83x1.10 inches	7.95x5.0x1.22 inches

24.5 x 13.5 x 3.7 CM	20.2 x 13 x 4 CM

...... To be continued!

FREE bulk listing tools, image hosting, counters, auction management solutions, AuctionWatch.com