Mid Qing Dynasty, probably 18th Century The elegant small inkstone of dark brown tone and delicately carved in low relief as a natural melon form, the reverse with leafy foliage and vine-like tendrils extending from a branch at one end, the melon lobed and flattened, the main face with a continuation of the design at one end with a beetle and an area of rotting fruit -flesh cleverly carved as the water/ink receptacle, the melon-form zitan box more simply carved. 3 1/2in (8.9cm) across, excluding the box