Old Family Treasure Extra Large [Tessai Osho's Painting and Calligraphy Treasure Ink] Finest Quality Ink, Oil Smoke 101 A masterpiece of calligraphy manufactured before the Cultural Revolution Comes with a top-grade lacquered wooden box A valuable and rare item I have kept it at home as a collection for a long time, so I would appreciate it if you understand. Imported to Japan at the end of 1978 Extra large size Weight: 120g Size: 14.3 x 4 x 1.2 cm Extremely valuable ink New and unused Excellent condition. Tessai Osho's Painting and Calligraphy Treasure Ink (鐵齋翁書畫寶墨) was made around 1912 by Cao Sugong Yaosen (堯千) of Shanghai, at the request of Tomioka Tessai, a literati painter and Confucian scholar. The phrase "around" 1912 is a bit of a mystery, as various searches only mention "around"... Cao Sugong is one of the three families, Yaosen, Tokushu, and Insen, who split from "Cao Sugong," who began making ink in Shexian, Anhui Province, China, at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. It seems that the Yaosen family advanced to Suzhou and opened a shop in Shanghai around the time of the ninth generation, Tanyu. Cao Yuritsu (his pen name was Rinbaku), the eleventh generation, lived in the late Qing Dynasty and, from a young age, studied calligraphy and sculpture, and possessed superb skills in making ink molds. He only inscribed "Hui She Cao Sugong" or "Made by Cao Sugong" on his products, so they are sometimes mistaken for famous inks from the Qianlong Emperor's era. However, Cao Rinbaku died at the young age of 53, so his younger brother, Cao Shukkin, succeeded him as the eleventh generation. The younger brother, the eleventh generation Shukkin, could not make ink molds like his brother, but he continued to commission famous sculptors to make excellent ink molds. And it was this eleventh generation, Shukkin, who received the request from Tomioka Tessai and made "Tessai Osho's Painting and Calligraphy Treasure Ink." 1912 was the year the Republic of China was established in Nanjing on January 1st, and the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Xuantong (Puyi), officially abdicated on February 12th. In Japan, it was the year when the Meiji era changed to the Taisho era on July 30th. Old ink and new ink actually have different expressions. Ink made from high-quality soot and glue has more stickiness and luster when it is new. As years pass, the glue, which is a factor in the stickiness of the ink, settles, and it becomes better ink. "Old ink" is also easy to write with, and is useful for subtle ink color expressions, so it is favored by famous calligraphers as a high-value ink. I have too much ink and can't use it all, so I decided to sell it, hoping someone else can use it. Price negotiations are welcome.