1-233-807 - The Museum of East Asian Art/Heritage Images

Parcel gilt copper combined ink slab, water container and brazier, Qing dynasty, China, 1st half of 18th century. A gilded copper container of interlocking circles form combining an ink-slab, water container and brazier. The top is decorated with stylised kui dragons, the interior ink-slab and water container is separated by a gilded section flanked by bats made to hold the brush. The top third lifts off, the central section is plain, the bottom third has a pierced fringe of kui dragon heads near the top, the feet of bulbous shape and gilded. The bottom section is a tray to hold burning charcoal used to keep the water in the water container from freezing in the depths of the northern Chinese winter.