Lot 1123. An Yixing pottery ink stone, probably 19th century; 6 ¾ in. (17.1 cm.) long. Estimate USD 4,000 - USD 6,000. Price realised USD 1,375. © Christie's Image Ltd 2016

The inkstone is of dark purplish-brown color with two small olive-toned "eyes" in the grinding surface which ends in an arched upper edge beside the well at one end. One of the long sides is carved with a lengthy inscription in kaishu indicating the present ink stone was a gift from the Defense Minister Wugong to the inscriber. The other side has a twelve-character inscription, Jiajing renwu nian chun san yue Yang Yiqing zhi ('noted by Yang Yiqing on the third month of the Spring of the renwu year of Jiajing') followed by a seal reading Peiyuanxuan zhen cang (treasured by Peiyuan studio). The underside is cut with a deep, curved channel from which projects a truncated column, and one of the two eyes in the underside is highlighted within a raised medallion, zitan base and cover. 

Provenance: Christie's New York, 18 September 1997, lot 200.

Christie's. The Ian and Susan Wilson Collection of Scholar's Objects, New York, 17 march 2016