A RARE IMPERIAL SET OF TWENTY-TWO INSCRIBED 'WEAVING' INKCAKES

Lot 1918

1918

Details

A RARE IMPERIAL SET OF TWENTY-TWO INSCRIBED 'WEAVING' INKCAKES
KANGXI PERIOD (1662-1722)

Moulded in rectangular form and of varying size, some with canted corners, some sharp and some rounded, two with arched top and bottom edges, finely carved in shallow relief on one side with scenes of the weaving process, each with the title highlighted in gilt, the reverse side carved and gilt with an insciption describing the pictorial scene under two characters, written horizontally: Yu Gao, 'An Imperial Proclamation'; accommodated within a rectangular black lacquer box, the interior lined with padded yellow silk, the exterior of the cover decorated in gilt and red lacquer to depict a full-faced dragon chasing a 'flaming pearl' amongst cloud scrolls, the box is covered with a removable fitted yellow silk brocade
The box 12¼ x 8½ in. (31 x 21.5 cm.) (22)

Provenance

A European family collection

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Lot Essay

The depiction of farming and weaving on ink cakes was first used by Cao Sugong, an inkcake maker in the Imperial workshops. An identical set of inkcakes by Cao Sugong is illustrated in The Four Treasures of the Study - Inksticks and Writing Brushes, The Complete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum, Commercial Press, 2005, vol. 49, pl. 54.

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