Abstract Cloud Chinese Carpenter Line, C. 1850

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Given the beauty and thoughtful design of traditional Chinese furniture, it's no wonder that Qing-dynasty carpenter's tools were accorded the … Read more Given the beauty and thoughtful design of traditional Chinese furniture, it's no wonder that Qing-dynasty carpenter's tools were accorded the same attention to detail. This remarkably intact 19th-century inkline reel was hand carved from northern elmwood with an exuberant cloud motif that belies its practical function.

Used to mark straight lines, this ingenious tool runs a thread across an inkwell as its drawn across a measured surface. Anchored by a stickpin, the thread is then stamped to create a straight guide line. Once an essential component of a Chinese carpenter's toolkit, this reel lives on as a storied sculptural object. See less