RARE Chinese Tang Dyn. Buddhist Temple/Shrine Sancai 3-Color Porcelain Ink Stone

Description

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
Artifacts, Antiques, & Fine Collectables
Chinese Tang Dynasty
Sancai
(
三彩
)
“Three Color” Glazed Porcelain
Ritual Buddhist Ink Stone
618--906
AD
Xunzi, a follower of Confucius wrote that:
"...One adorns the dead as though they were still living, and sends them to the grave with forms symbolic of life."
This RARE
Chinese glazed
Ceramic Chinese/Tibet Pottery I
nk Stone was made approximately during the Tang Dynasty (618--906).
This is a ritual ink stone used in Buddhist Temples, Shrines, or as Tomb offerings.  Original  3-Color or "
Sancai"
Ink Stones like this one are indeed RARE and this one is a museum quality example that is perfect for the advanced collector.  It is indeed very, very RARE!!
The hollow Ink Stone measures about 4.0" or 104 mm in diameter at the top.  It has an unglazed, base that is surrounded by 10 seated, blue figures.
It is about 2.1" or 53 mm tall and weighs approximately 13.1 oz. or 370 grams.
The glazing on this Ink Stone shows light crazing (also called a "crackle finish") as is period correct with a glazed object that was buried over 1,100 years ago!  The 3 colors are still bright and show a lovely gloss finish.
The 3 colors Green, Burnt Orange, and Cobalt Blue are still bright and show a lovely gloss finish.  This is the second
Sancai
Ink Stone I currently have for sale at my eBay store.  The other example has 5 seated figures.
WOW!!  What a beautiful presentation!
DETAILS
The body of
sancai
ceramics were made of the finest white clay, then coated with a layer of leaded glaze, and finally fired at a temperature of 800 degrees Celsius.
The glazing style is often referred to as
sancai
(literally, 'three colors'), consisting of a clear glaze, an amber/yellow to brown glaze made using iron oxide, and a bright green colored glaze prepared using copper oxide. Rarely like in this example, cobalt oxide was used, for a brilliant blue, as is shown in this ritual ink stone that has ten (10) blue seated Buddhas circling the round inkstone.
Cobalt blue was very rare and expensive during the Tang Dynasty, and few owners were wealthy enough to afford its use.
Nearly the entire original glaze remains, with only minor glazing missing on the base were the glaze didn't run all the way down the ink stone to the sager the item was sitting on in the kiln.  This item has been partially cleaned to remove the encrusted earthen deposits, but it still retains some of the deposits.  All authentic and original!
In order to mix ink for use in calligraphy during the Tang Dynasty, a solid ink stick would be ground into the top of this ink stone (see photo # 4) and a few drops of water added to form a liquid ink.
This ceramic Ink Stone is in museum quality condition and would be perfect for your Chinese, Tibet, or Buddhist collection!
Please see photos for details as they are part of the description.  Thank You!
PROVENANCE
This ink stone was obtained from a private collector who once lived in Beijing, China, and this is the first time it is being offered for sale as a set in the United States.
Bid with confidence--as I have Positive Feedback from hundreds of satisfied customers from around the world!
Please look carefully at the photos, taken with 4x macro lens, since they are part of the description.
It
would make a
wonderful
addition to your collection or a Super gift!
The stand and the AA battery are not part of the auction, just there to give you a perspective and a good view of item.
And please ask any questions before you buy.
Thanks!
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