A ‘TAIHU’ SCHOLAR’S ROCK, QING DYNASTY China, 1644-1912 or earlier. Of irregular form with protrusions and deep crevasses as well as reticulation. The porous stone of a distinct grayish-brown color, extensive natural wear and an unctuous feel overall.

Provenance: From a private collection in New York, USA. Kemin Hu, acquired from the above. Kemin Hu is a well-known and important scholar and collector of scholar’s rocks. Her father, Hu Zhao-Kang, was a noted connoisseur of Chinese Bonsai, Penjing, Gongshi and Chinese antiquities, inspiring her own passion. She would later become friends with such great collectors as Richard Rosenblum and C.C. Wang. Kemin Hu is the author of five books on scholar’s rocks, and her own vast collection of scholar’s rocks has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including a 100-piece exhibit in the Chinese Scholar’s Garden at the Staten Island Botanical Garden, New York, in 2002.
Condition: The rock shows clear signs of age and is without doubt significantly older than the hardwood stand, as evidenced by the fact that it was reworked at the base to fit the stand. The stone possibly with minor old fills, dents, losses, nicks and natural fissures, some of which have developed into small cracks over time. Extensive old wear, naturally grown patina overall.

Weight: 1,695 g (excl. stand)
Dimensions: Length 26.5 cm (excl. stand) and 27 cm (incl. stand)

The scholar’s rock resting on a naturalistically carved hardwood stand dating to the 20^th century. (2)

Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related Taihu scholar’s rock, of similar form and reticulation but of a lighter tone and larger size (53.3 cm), at Sotheby’s New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 23 March 2011, lot 653, sold for USD 23,750.

清代太湖文人石
中國，1644-1912年或更早。整體造型玲瓏嵌空，表面嶙峋光潔，石質堅密，古樸凝重，天然灰褐色紋理。

來源：美國紐約私人收藏。胡可敏購於上述收藏。著名旅美華人賞石收藏家胡可敏女士，承襲家學。她的父親胡兆康先生曾是滬上知名的古董、盆景和供石收藏家。胡可敏受父親影響，開始供石的收藏與研究，成爲如Richard Rosenblum 與王己千一樣的著名收藏家。胡可敏曾出版了五本關於文人石的著作，而她的供石收藏曾在很多展覽中展出，其中一百多件曾於2002年在紐約植物園中國文人園展出。
品相：這塊供石有明顯年代痕跡，毫無疑問，它比硬木底座明顯更老，甚至曾為了嵌入底座而加工過底部。石頭可能有輕微的舊時填充、凹痕、損失、刻痕和天然裂縫，其中一些隨著時間的推移發展成小裂縫。 廣泛磨損，包漿自然。

重量：1,695 克 (不含底座)
尺寸：長 26.5 厘米 (不含底座) 與27 厘米 (含底座)

二十世紀硬木鏤空底座 (2)

拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近太湖文人石，形體相近，但石色稍淡，尺寸更大 (53.3 厘米)，見紐約蘇富比Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2011年3月23日 lot 653, 售價USD 23,750。