19th C Chinese Art Nouveau Ink Stone - Ovoid Lid - Finely Carved Leafy Relief

Description

This beautifully designed inkstone dates to the Qing Dynasty and features a well fitting lid with a carved leaf knob.
It's made of solid, natural duan -- one of the "Four Famous Inkstones" valued by Chinese scholars and calligraphers.  Duan has a fine nature, neither too hard nor too soft, with just the right porousness and texture to produce  a thick ink quickly without damaging the delicate hairs of the brush. Its surface has a desirable, perfectly smooth, satiny sheen.
The stone is rectangular with rounded corners and striated sides. It's relief carved at its top with a foliate design and the shallow well slopes down slightly to an ink reservoir.
The ovoid lid rests upon a precisely carved, recessed edge. The only damage is to the edge of the lid, as shown.
The underside of the stone is covered with a veneer of light tone wood which has some glue residue in a couple of places. (See photos.)
measures 4 ½" W x 7" long x about 1" high (including the cover)
Weighs 2.5 lbs.