AN IMPERIALLY INSCRIBED ZISHA INKSTONE, WHITE JADE-INSET ZITAN BOX AND COVERQIANLONG YUMING MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)The top of the inkstone is carved with a vase-shaped inkwell surrounded by an incised patterned-ground imitating the skin texture of a rhinoceros. The reverse is incised with an imperial poem by Emperor Qianlong ending with Qianlong dingyou yuming ‘Imperially inscribed by Qianlong in dingyou cyclical year’ (1777), followed by two square seals, jixia yiqing, and de jia qu. The side is incised with an eight-character inscription, Fang Song Deshoudian xiwen yan. The top of the zitan cover is incised and gilt with the same imperial poem and seals, below a white jade plaque inset.Inkstone: 5 6/8 in. (14.3 cm.) long; box: 6 1/8 in. (15.6 cm.) long, Japanese wood box