As a member of the stationary of Chinese study, the ink slab is used to grind the ink and straighten out the brush. Although it has not the great reputation in the stationary family, its refined materials, excellent design and mature techniques are well integrated with humanistic spirits in order to satisfy scholars’ tastes. The delicacy, nature, funny and lingering charm of these stationary are always enjoyed by scholars, which is also the profound essence and quintessence of it.

中國傳統社會,書案上清雅的實用陳設品被稱為文房清供,除眾所周知的“文房四寶”(筆、墨、紙、硯),在書桌上出現的各種文房小具也算在其中:筆筒、筆插、筆匣、筆掭、筆洗;墨盒、墨床、水注、水丞;鎮紙、臂擱、裁刀;硯滴、硯屏、印章、印盒、帖架、文具箱等。
文房清供:“供”即供奉,圣潔高貴之物;“清”,清雅不俗、清逸不濁、清心寡欲。在長達千年的歷史中,文房清供不僅是筆耕丹青的必備用具,亦是文人雅客品味把玩之物。作為書桌案幾之玩用,文玩一般大不盈尺,小不足寸,可供設于案上,可把玩于掌中,可遠觀,可近?。徊粌H具有實用價值,更重要的是融合了繪畫、書法、雕刻、裝飾等各種藝術特色于一體,體現出華夏文化獨特的韻味。
作為文房用具之一的筆掭,亦作筆添、筆舔、筆硯,以作驗墨濃淡或理順筆毫之用。比如國畫以墨色的濃淡干濕來體現物象的遠近層次,故有“墨分五色”之說,用筆掭來查驗墨色的濃淡是否合宜就很方便。

制作筆掭多采用玉、瓷、水晶、象牙等自然色彩單純而色淺的材料,以便于辨認墨色的濃淡深淺是否合度。質地要細密又不吸水色,不吸附墨汁,使用過后易清洗,不會留下墨痕,有一種不染污濁的清蓮之美。其中僅瓷質筆掭就包括青花、茶葉末釉、粉彩、仿官窯、仿哥窯、德化白瓷、龍泉窯、松石釉、虎皮釉、綠釉等各個釉色及窯口。另外還有銀、銅、白玉、碧玉、紫砂、壽山石、雞血石、青金石、孔雀石、茶晶、水晶、沉香木、象牙、鹿角、貼黃、紅木、紫檀、漆器、瑪瑙、翡翠、景泰藍等,材質之多僅次于鼻煙壺?!?br>