Vintage Chinese Sumi Ink Stick With Embossed Landscape Metalic Mountans 3"

This is a Vintage Chinese ink stick used to make sumi ink for calligraphy and painting. Embossed with a mountain temple scene on the front and back painted in gold, copper, bronze, silver, red, blue and green. The scenery is labeled in traditional Chinese with "Baitaiquan" and "spa".  Chinese ink is some of the best ink in the world for calligraphy. To make ink pour a small amount of water on to the high flat part of a slate ink stone (available here at Japanpicker and from Shoguns). Holding the ink stick vertically scrape the stick against the wet stone in small circles. The stone will grind away the solid ink creating liquid ink! Add more water to make more ink, the more you grind, the darker the ink. As the ink builds up it flows down the slope into the ink stones low basin collecting there for use in writing or drawing. Add more water to lighten the ink into beautiful shades of gray. This stick has been in storage for many years but remains in fine condition and is still in prefect working order. The ink stone measures 4" by 1" by 3/8th" (10 x 2.5 x 1cm). Own a little piece of old world japan!