Chinese Carpenter's Plumb Line

Curling scrolls and a lotus-like leaf pattern give this one a flourish.

This carpenter's plumb line is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the 19th century. It is wood. A plumb line is a cord with a weight at its end, used since ancient times to establish a true vertical when building and framing. Dark brown box with a swept-up scroll at one end and a finely carved leafy panel along the front. A broad round spool rises from the middle, and a bent crank passes through the center of the design. It is 7.5 inches wide, 3.5 deep and 3.5 high.

Plenty of curls, and not an ounce of restraint.