A Chinese Duan carved inkstone with hardwood box and dating to the Qing dynasty. The ink stone is carved to depict bats against a ruyi-clouded sky. Dimensions are: 2 inches tall X 7 3/4 inches wide, 5.1 cm tall X 19.7 cm wide. All measurements are approximate. Condition: Minor splits in the wood due to dryness; small areas of damage to the top of the inkstone. Provenance: From Mrs. Hwang in the San Francisco area, inherited from her grandfather, Zou Dianbang. Zou Dianbang was a successful Chinese businessman from the Guangzhou province, where he held the post of chairman of the Guangzhou Banking Association and the chairman of the Guangzhou General Chamber of Commerce. He became a milli*****e in his 20s and applied his financial acumen to the support of certain key political figures, including Sun Yat-sen and Hu Hanmin, despite his personal lack of interest in politics. In 1928, Zou Dianbang founded the Beiyuan Restaurant, whose pick and fry methodology, using ingredients from their nearby vegetable garden, has long associated his name with Cantonese cuisine. To view additional photos, please see the following link: https://oag.smugmug.com/Sept-Asian-Session-1