Deep Purple Amethyst Cluster with Calcite Surrounded by Agate

On offer is a vertical Chinese scholar rock balanced on a carved wood display stand. The specimen is a wonderful example of Ying (or Yingde) stone, one of the four famed stone types known to Chinese literati and a less common type than Lingbi or Taihu. Gray in color, it has an extraordinary upright form rising from a small stem, like an "Avatar Mountain" peeking out of the mist. Visually it feels impossible for the stone to balance on its thin stem and the wood base. The illusion is due to the thickness of the depth which is not immediately visible from front or back. This type of exotic form was highly desired by the collector. The surface is remarkable with pronounced schisms, gullies, folding lines, with several formation of openings that give it a grotto and airy feel. Different sceneries are revealed when viewed from different angles, making this one of the most intriguing stones in Tishu Gallery...

A malachite specimen with intense green and black colors fitted on a wood stand. The botryoidal form was polished in the front and sides to reveal the beautiful swirling patterns and color while the back was left natural. It is displayed as a viewing stone on a fitted wood base by an American collector of Chinese scholar rocks. Known as "Peacock Rock" in Chinese, there was a more recent tradition in China (from Qing Dynasty and on) to collect the exotic gemstones such as malachite and turquoise...