Wooden box has me stumped!

[kidden6968]

Oh my - opening on my end - get some sleep  LOL

[bigwull]

Oh my - opening on my end - get some sleep  LOL

...where did a put that bloody bottle opener....hic...hic .... ..nightie night....i,m off to the land of nod

[Evelyn]

Mart, are you thinking of Japanese-style sumi-e ink paintings? (There's a similar Chinese style, but I don't know the name.) That style uses ink in sticks, which are ground into powder and wetted on a inkstone as the artist works. If this set-up is like that, maybe the space in the center is for the inkstone? (Or else maybe for a small palette-dish. Or some sort of blotter paper?) (Or - hey! It's just about the right size for one of those well-known antique Post-It pads! )

But the style doesn't seem Japanese at all to me. The griffin/birds reminds me a little of some stuff I've seen in Russian folk art. Could it be Central Asian or something?

(And is that a little duckie in the middle of the underside? Possibly a maker's mark?)

(edited for spelling - I must have had a little too much Maker's Mark... )

[kidden6968]

Evelyn - I am not sure - have looked that spot over and over and now that you said "duckie" it actually does look like a little duck - hmmmmm - more google imaging for me  LOL

[bigwull]

The definition of Duckie..over here is...."hello Duckie = darling, dear,.....to me it means quack, quack,..as for one on the bottom...i,d need specs as thick as milk bottle  bottoms to see a duckie....on there.../.

[greenacres]

Are you sure it isn't a swan? The neck seems long.

[bigwull]

Are you sure it isn't a swan? The neck seems long.

swans ducks next you,ll be telling me it a .......

[mart]

Mart, are you thinking of Japanese-style sumi-e ink paintings? (There's a similar Chinese style, but I don't know the name.) That style uses ink in sticks, which are ground into powder and wetted on a inkstone as the artist works. If this set-up is like that, maybe the space in the center is for the inkstone? (Or else maybe for a small palette-dish. Or some sort of blotter paper?) (Or - hey! It's just about the right size for one of those well-known antique Post-It pads! )

But the style doesn't seem Japanese at all to me. The griffin/birds reminds me a little of some stuff I've seen in Russian folk art. Could it be Central Asian or something?

(And is that a little duckie in the middle of the underside? Possibly a maker's mark?)

(edited for spelling - I must have had a little too much Maker's Mark... )

I can`t remember the name of the art form or what was used but I remember the brush used and it was a large one !! But they could do the finest tiny little lines with it !!  It was all in how the brush was used !!  It was fascinating !!  It was taught in several places here so I don`t necessarily think the wood box is Chinese or Japanese at all !!

[kidden6968]

I think I figured out what was missing from the center of this inkwell box.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLD-ANTIQUE-WOODEN-DOUBLE-INKWELL-PEN-AND-INK-BLOTTER-PRESS-ROLLER-/221121924752?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337be4ce90

[ghopper1924]

Good catch, Kidden!

[kidden6968]

And it would explain the staining in that area as well as the varnish being rubbed off there.  I am a little obsessive and keep looking until I have a good explanation or description  LOL   

[mart]

Yes there would have been a blotter somewhere !!