Antique Chinese Hu Kaiwen Ink Cake Set 8pc Beautiful Ladies Dream of RedChamber For Sale

• Brand: Hu Kaiwen (胡開文)
• Region of Origin: China (Huizhou / Anhui Province)
• Primary Material: Pine/Oil Soot & Animal Glue (Solid Ink Block)
• Age: Late Qing Dynasty to Early Republic Period (circa 1890s–1930s)
• Original/Reproduction: Original AntiqueFor sale is a beautiful, 100% complete 8-piece Antique Chinese Calligraphy Ink Cake Presentation Set (套墨) from the legendary Hu Kaiwen Workshop (胡開文製) of Huizhou, China. This collector\'s set dates from the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic Era (circa 1895–1930s). The set is completely intact with its original, cloth-wrapped folding presentation box, handwritten paper label, and bone/ivory toggle closures. None of the ink cakes have ever been ground or used.**Artistic & Literary Theme:**
The handwritten cover label reads \"仕女圖套墨\" (Shìnǚ Tú Tào Mò), translating to \"The Beautiful Ladies Ink Cake Collection.\" Each uniquely shaped ink cake features a detailed, high-relief carving of a famous heroine or poet from Chinese history and classical literature, highlighted with remaining gold leaf accents. The back of each cake features an engraved poetic inscription, a title, and a golden factory verification seal stamp. The fully translated roster of characters included in this exact set features:
1. Lin Daiyu (林黛玉) – The tragic, poetic soul of the literary masterpiece \"Dream of the Red Chamber\"
2. Xie Daoyun (謝道韞) – The famous Jin Dynasty master poet
3. Zhu Shuzhen (朱淑真) – The celebrated Song Dynasty romantic lyricist
4. Shangguan Wan\'er (上官婉兒) – The Tang Dynasty female prime minister and imperial poetry arbiter
5. Han Caiping (韓采屛) – The lonely court lady behind the legendary \"Red Leaf Poem\" folklore
6. Cai Wenji (蔡文姬) – The late Han Dynasty scholar who famously memorized and saved the imperial library
7. Meng Cairen (孟才人) – The intensely loyal Tang Dynasty palace singer and zither artist**Signatures & Markings:**
- The long central rectangular ink stick and the edges of the scalloped blocks are deeply stamped with the maker marks: \"胡開文製\" (Made by Hu Kaiwen) and \"徽州胡開文製\" (Made by Hu Kaiwen of Huizhou).
- Every ink cake bears an oval or square golden factory certification seal on its reverse side.**Condition Report:**
- Ink Cakes: Excellent antique condition. No cracks, breaks, or structural repairs. The high-relief details remain very sharp. The gold leaf highlights show beautiful, age-appropriate minor flaking and handling patina.
- Presentation Box: Fair-to-Good antique condition. The blue silk exterior fabric shows natural aging, staining, and organic mottling/white blooming from the historical pastes used in its original book-bound construction. The bone closure toggles are intact. Please see all high-resolution photos for exact details. Packed with extreme care for safe transit. No returns. As is.