Carving: Li Taibo, Chinese Poet

"A very rare and important Chinese bamboo (with gilt lacquer traces) carving of Li Taibo, (also known as Li Po-Wade-Giles, or Li Bo or Li Bai (pinyin li3 bo3), also known as Li Taibo (pinyin) of Li T’ao-po (Wade-Giles), the famous Chinese poet, who drowned in A.D. 762 from leaning over the edge of a boat one night, in a drunken effort to embrace the reflection of the moon. He is depicted reclining against an overturned jar. 17th centery Ming Dynasty, 7 1/2” long.

Ming Dynasty renderings of Li Taibo can be found in Blanc de Chinese (Tehua porcelain) and soapstone (talc). On the Mohs scale of hardness, developed by the German mineralogist Frederich Mohs (1773-1839), soapstone (talc) is the softest stone and is number one, with the diamond being the hardest, at number ten. Soapstone disintegrates over time - so it is rare to find 18th century pieces. The fragile nature of wood, its age, the lacquer finish and the fact that no carved comparable can be found - other than the 19th century soapstone, would seem to confirm its rarity also." - Bernie McManus, Appraiser, Woodbury House, Connecticut, 9/15/2004