Chinese Rough-Hewn Trough

Heavy-shouldered, creamy stone, and a single weeping rust stain below the spout.

Craftsmen in Shanxi Province, China, hewed this stone trough in the 19th century. Such troughs are commonly associated with watering animals and with farm and household work. The shape is a deep oval basin, flat at the back, with a thick rim and a drain hole near the foot. The stone has a gently weathered texture, and it carries a faint stain of brown at the opening.

About 29 inches long, 20 inches deep and 12 inches high. Give it a corner and some trailing ivy.