Antique Chinese Japanese Ink Sticks Lot 2 Gold Flecked (Set of 2)

We believe these soot ink sticks were purchased by Alice Burr in China in the 1920s or 1930s.
 
They are works of art in themselves. Used for calligraphy and drawing, these carved ink sticks are each intricately decorated as shown in photos. Both are gold-leaf flecked with two flowers on the front and a ‘foo dog’ or guardian lion on the back. Both also have what we presume is the artist’s stamps in the upper left of the front side.
 
Should you choose to try using them, you will need an inkstone on which to grind them with water to create ink. There are special inkstone trays available that slope to a deeper area for pooling of ink, but you can also use a touchstone or black stone to create small pools of ink. 
 
They are not broken or cracked. Given their age, they are in excellent condition.
 
Each is approx. H 4” x L 1 1/4” x D 1/2”
 
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.