A 'DUAN' INKSTONE SONG DYNASTY

of irregular shape, the smooth stone of a deep purplish-black tone with a broad shallow circular depression in the centre and an adjacent roughly hewn inkpool, the reverse with a smaller circular depression, the sides left 'naturally' unfinished save for several areas carved to resemble embedded pebbles, with lacquer box and cover of conforming shape

The tradition of making inkstones began in the Northern Song dynasty, and have since been highly valued amongst scholars.  The most cherished type of Duanstone was the purplish-brown type, usually reserved for making inkstones for the influential minority of scholars, sages and monks.  They were considered to be the most prized item of a gentleman's studio.  Duanstone inkstones represent a stylistically homogenous group, featuring exquisite use of the natural colours in the material.  They were quarried and carved in Guangdong province, Suzhou and Beijing. 

It is rare to find a duanstone inkstone preserved in its 'natural' state, save for the few areas worked to resemble embedded pebbles.  The inkpool appears to be naturally formed from water erosion.  Compare a similarly formed Song Dynasty inkstone with rough edges and a jagged inkpool in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Cheng Chia-Hua, Ancient Inkstones Illustrated in the Imperial Catalogue, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, cat.no. 38.