VIntage Soapstone Pebble carved as Scholar RockThis colorful pebble shaped soapstone is fashioned as a scholar rock, and carved in the same manner as a jade pebble. It represents a small mountain, with rock formations and trees and two travelers are situated at the base, viewing the path upwards. Scholar rocks are so named on account of the Chinese literati's fascination with mountains and waters. The first known records of mountains in Chinese art appeared on the cave paintings of the Buddhist's

Wen Zhengming and the artists of the Wu School of landscape painting of the Ming Dynasty CE 1368 - 1644

and in another are two lingzhi fungus (longevity) and more peonies

This flattened shape harks back to bottles produced during the Qianlong and Yongzheng periods

The object is made from a tree trunk and its unusual shape was the natural form of the mother tree

alternating with orange carnelian beads

Whether this is a relationship between this rhyme with the snuff bottle

It is paired with a light green serpentine cap

The top is flat and the cap is of the same zoisite material sitting on a white disc

The cap is a green color stone with a brown stained spoon

a spot of glaze is chipped at the nose

one frowning

(The inside of the rings show signs of hand carving