Copper squatting lion shaped inkstone drop

[Bronze squatting lion shaped inkstone drop]

Gilded bronze lion inkstone drop, bright, 9.7 cm high, 4.6 cm wide, and 9 cm long
The inkstone drop is in the shape of a lying lion, with two wings on the body, two tails outward, head up, empty belly, and a long bird-head tube on the back, which is used for the inkstone to touch water. The whole body is gilded with green spots. The archives of the manufacturing office call this process “green gilding”. The lion is ancient and dignified, glittering with gold, and has a strong court atmosphere. The inkstone drops bear a rectangular rosewood seat with a waist, and the seat is carved with tortoise back brocade pattern and lotus petal pattern. The top of the wooden seat is carved with gold “Qianlong Imperial Award” seal script, and the bottom is carved with gold “Tang Lion Inkstone Drop” regular script
According to the records of the manufacturing office, this inkstone was originally contained in the red carved lacquer cover box (now lost). In October of the 18th year of Qianlong’s reign (1753), the emperor ordered the wide wooden work to match the height of the box, and to make an elegant red sandalwood seat with the inscription “Tang Shi inkstone”, which was made in April of the 19th year
The “Tang Lion Inkstone Drop” carved under the new wooden seat shows that Emperor Qianlong believed that this inkstone drop was a work of the Tang Dynasty. However, from the observation of ancient lions unearthed in archaeology, it seems that the shape of lions with wings can only be seen in the Six Dynasties, which is called Tianlu or Pixie. In the Tang Dynasty, there were no lions with wings, and their facial expressions were also very different from them. Their production time should be set in the Ming Dynasty
In addition, the Tang Lion Inkstone Drop was recorded in the Ancient Records of the Western Qing Dynasty, which shows the emperor’s love and attention to it from another perspective