Dragon-decorated inkstone snuffbox, mark 大清乾隆御鑑 Dà Qīng Qiánlóng Yù Jiàn, China, imperial workshops, Qianlong period, 1740-1795 Of rounded form, the black stone carved in very slight relief on one face of two dragons, one emerging from the waves, the other in the clouds. On the reverse, in a round medallion, an inscription in archaic characters: Duan xi zhen wan - 端溪珍玩 - "Precious object from Duanxi". The shoulders are carved with a Buddhist lion head holding a ring in its mouth. At the center of each ring is incised a two-character inscription: 天香 - tiān xiāng - "Heavenly perfume" / 品奪 - pǐn duó - "Object of great value". Under the foot, a six-character incised mark in Zhuanshu: 大清乾隆御鑑 - Dà Qīng Qiánlóng Yù Jiàn - "Approved or examined by Emperor Qianlong of the Great Qing Dynasty". Jasper stopper. Height: 6 cm A small chip on one of the characters and natural wear. Provenance : Millon-Jutheau sale, July 2, 1984, lot 21 (illustrated). Duanxi is a region of China famous for its high-quality inkstones.