Page 58 - 2021 March 15th Fine Chinese Paintings and Works of Art, Bonhams NYC New York

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE AMERICAN COLLECTION
58
AN INSCRIBED OCTAGONAL TRIPOD NISHAN CHENGNI INKSTONE
Ming/Qing Dynasty
The shallow octagonal stone cut with a central circular plain below a tri-
lobed water-ink well, the brown and beige-mottled underside carved with
a recessed circular panel with a lengthy inscription and with shallow rising
sides further inscribed with three characters, with equally spaced short
cylindrical legs
6in (15.2cm) across, cover

$5,000 - 10,000

明/清 紅木蓋「見海」銘三足硯
The inscription on the underside of our inkstone, starts with
the two characters yan ming (inkstone inscription), followed
by a sixteen-character Confucian text. This followed by three
characters that read, Jianhai zhu (written by Jianhai).
Three further characters on the edge read Liang gong
yan (Mr. Liang’s inkstone).

Four kinds of inkstones are especially noted amongst serious
calligraphers and painters and are popularly known as the Four Famous
inkstones. They comprise Duan (from Zhaoqing, Guangdong province),
She (made in She county, Anhui province), Tao(he) (from Taozhou, Gansu
province), and Chengni (made of ceramic in Luoyang, Henan province).
The latter are said to have been first used during the Tang dynasty. The
name Ming Chengni, arose because they were thought to be made near
Confucius’s home, Ni shan (Mt. Ni).The Confucian writings often found on
these seem to sustain this theory. The inkstone is also referred as Nishan
yan – inkstone from Nishan.

A record of ‘Liang gong yan’ can be found in Gujin Tushu Jicheng
(Imperial Encyclopedia), vol. 081, (1700-1725).
An early octagonal Jin period inkstone, also signed Jianhai and
with a Lianggong yan seal from the collection of Chunqiu yanshe,
is known (but at time of going to press we are unable to find a
usable citation).

56 | BONHAMS