A Ming Confucius-Style Lacquered Qin

The qin is of Confucius style, gracefully waisted along two ends of the body, the upper surface gently convex and inlaid with mother-of-pearl studs, hui . The underside has two rectangular sound holes, termed as the 'Dragon Pool' and the smaller as the 'Phoenix Pond'. The name of the qin is incised above the 'Dragon Pool', with the characters Xi Quan , 'Spring Creek', followed by an inscription in running script and a seal, Longsheng . Underneath the 'Dragon Pool' aperture to the right is carved, Wanli guiwei zhongqiu jidan , 'on an auspicious day of the eighth month of guiwei cylical year of Wanli period (1583)', and to the left, Guhang Li Cangwu zhi , 'Made by Li Cangwu of Hangzhou'. The instrument strings are threaded through seven taselled hardwood tuning pegs, zhen . Each string is arranged over the upper surface and tied to either of the two hardwood pegs, yanzu , 'Wild Geese Feet'. The lacquer surfaces are suffused with fine snake-belly crackles.

Estimate:$101,935.2

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