Rectangular with a four-lobbed rim, titled “The twelve earthly branches in precious ink” and showing their associated animal, each moulded with fine details. Signed with the seal “Cao Su Gong” on the box. On the side of the sticks we read the inscription «Made the tenth year of Qianlong’s reign», and at the back “Cao Sugong” and “Huizhou” (In the Anhui province).
The ink “mo” 墨 is one of the four scholar treasures with the brush, the paper and the inkstone. The artist Cao Sugong 曹素功 lived during the Qing dynasty, the smooth and the colour of his ink make its reputation and its use into the imperial palaces. Thirteen generations continued its fabrication for more than 300 years. Huizhou 徽州 was a famous place known for its pine forest, (ink was obtained by the mixture of soot and animal glue). The manufactured place moved to Shanghaï in 1864, and the ink received a gold medal in 1914 at the Tokyo-Taishô exposition.