A RARE RED POTTERY TORTOISE-FORM INKSTONE

EARLY TANG DYNASTY, 7TH CENTURY

细节

A RARE RED POTTERY TORTOISE-FORM INKSTONE
Early Tang dynasty, 7th century
Amusingly modeled as the hollowed body of a tortoise standing on four short legs and with neck and head swiveled up and to the side in an inquisitive manner, the body and grinding surface sloping downwards from the tail towards the head, the red pottery with traces of gold mica-flecked earth
5 5/8in. (14.2cm.) long, box

来源

J.J. Lally & Co.

拍品专文

A pottery tortoise-form ink palette with cover in the shape of a tortoise shell excavated from a Tang dynasty tomb in Shangcaisian, Henan province, in 1962, is illustrated in Wenwu, 1964:2, pls. VIII:7 and 8. For another with a double tray in the Shanghai Museum see Wenwu, 1965:12, p. 55, figs. 1 and 2; and a grey pottery example similar to the present red pottery inkstone was sold in these rooms, 4 June 1987, lot 180. The pottery examples are most likely based on stone prototypes of early Tang date, such as the steatite example with cover illustrated in the catalogue of the Inaugural Exhibition, vol. 2, Chinese Metalwares and Decorative Arts, The Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, England, April 1993, no. 328.

The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no. C298e52 is consistent with the dating of this lot.