A SANDALWOOD SCEPTERChina, Qing dynasty (1644–1912), 18th century|A scepter carved from well-patinated sandalwood as a piece of lingzhi fungus, with one small stem rising against a larger, more boldly carved stemWith a Japanese double wooden tomobako storage box, the exterior of the outer lid inscribed Tennenboku nyoi 天然木如意 (Natural wood scepter); Kono nyoi waga tomo Chikken rōjin iai ima Seihakuken ni oite kore o mata mite atakamo kyūyū ni au no gotoshi chinamite kono sotobako o shikisu Sakaifu ni oite Shūken dai 此如意吾友竹軒老人遺愛今茲復観テ清白軒中宛如会旧友囙識シ是外匣　於堺府　習軒題 (This scepter was once a treasured possession of my deceased friend [Yokoe] Chikken. Seeing it at again at Seihakuken was like meeting an old friend, so I wrote this inscription on the outer box; inscribed by Shūken in Sakai), with a seal; the reverse of the lid with a paper seal Seihakuken zō 清白軒蔵 (Seihakuken Collection); the exterior of the inner box inscribed Tennenboku nyoi 天然木如意 (Natural wood scepter); Manji'an nansō no shita ni oite Shūken gakujin kan narabi ni dai 於卍字盦南窗下　習軒学人観並題 (Examined and inscribed by the scholar Shūken under the southern window of Manji'an); Chinese padded silk storage bag painted in ink and colors with an auspicious bat, signed and sealed 14 3/4in (37.5cm) long