CHINESE HARDSTONE NINE RANKS BOOK PLATES WITH BOX

LATE 20TH CENTURY. LOT OF NINE CHINESE HARDSTONE PLATES/TABLETS REPRODUCING AN IMPERIAL STYLIZED MANUSCRIPT REPRESENTING THE NINE RANKS OF THE CHINESE OFFICIATING SYSTEM (JIUPIN ZHONGZHENG ZHI). CRAFTED FROM A CELADON-WHITE SIMULATED JADE MATERIAL SHOWING ARTIFICIAL OR NATURAL RUSSET INDENTATIONS, HIGH-IRON STAINING, AND AREAS OF GREY VEINING, NOTING THAT THE PHYSICAL COMPOSITION SCRATCHES EASILY UNDER TESTING. ONE SIDE OF EACH PLATE FEATURES INCUT SECTIONS DEPICTING INTRICATE FIVE-CLAWED IMPERIAL DRAGONS CHASING FLAMING PEARLS AMIDST CLOUD SCROLLS. THE OPPOSITE REVERSE SIDE OF EACH PLATE IS INCUT WITH FOUR-CHARACTER LINES OF FORMAL ZHUANSHU (SEAL SCRIPT) EMBEDDED TEXT SPECIFYING EACH RANK. HOUSED IN A FITTED, MANUALLY RECESSED RECTANGULAR GEOLOGICAL VEINED STONE DISPLAY BOX WITH A MATCHING LID BORDER HANDLE. BOX MEASURES APPROX. 8.75" X 6.5" EACH PLATE MEASURES APPROX. 2.75" X 2"