Anonymous

Edo / Meiji period 19/20th century

1800-1912

Ink stick holder

A stunning gold nashiji lacquer and solid silver ink stick holder. Japanese calligraphy writing sets would have been an essential part of Japanese life for the educated during the Edo and Meiji periods having beautifully elaborate writing sets made for the wealthy. A writing set would have a block of dried ink that would need to be ground down on an ink stone to create the ink for writing. To save the hands of the user from getting black fingers they could use an ink holder to keep their hands clean. This fine example would have been from a beautiful writing set of the Edo or Meiji period.

Unsigned

Size 145mm x 29mm