Stone of the Month: 

February 2024 

"Gyokudo’s Inkstone"

By Thomas S. Elias

Two famous stone collectors and close friends in Japan shared this treasured stone. Shiraki Koichi (1890-1977) was an ophthalmologist who owned Round Mountain in Neo Valley, a major source of chrysanthemum flower stones. Kawai Gyokudo (1873-1957) was a famous artist and poet who taught painting to the Empress of Japan. Shiraki gifted some flower stones to Gyokudo, and working together they arranged for a gift of several Neo Valley chrysanthemum flower stones to be presented to the Imperial Household. Once accomplished, this led to the popularization of these stones among stone collectors throughout Japan. Gyokudo presented Dr. Shirakin with this Chinese inkstone which was displayed in a chrysanthemum stone museum that Shiraki opened to the public in 1966 in Gifu. Photographs taken in the museum document the presence of this inkstone among many items exhibited. 

This ink stone is 22 x 17.6 x 4 cm and has three flower-like mineral formations on the upper surface and a single flower-like crystal on the lower surface. It comes in an inscribed storage box that states this stone belonged to Shiraki Koichi and later to his son. This inkstone is in the collection of Thomas S. Elias and Hiromi Nakaoji.