Chinese Vessel or Planter with Stepped Base

A square planter on stubby feet, plain and calm.

This vessel or planter with a stepped base was carved from marble in China in the 19th or 20th century. Stone planters like this were commonly used for flowering plants, miniature trees or scholar’s arrangements. The mouth is a wide square with a thick rim, and the sides slope inward to a stepped foot with four short legs. The cream stone is lightly veined, with a weathered, matte surface and a few pits.

About 6 inches tall and 11 wide. Quiet, solid, ready for moss or a single orchid.