Mounted Opium Weight

Whether used to parcel out opium, gemstones, spices, or other valuable items, this small weight was suspended from its tiny hole as a counterweight for a steelyard balance. Carved from stone in the Qing dynasty, the weight takes the shape of a pumpkin with its globular shape and vertical groove, one of the oldest forms of opium weights used. Displayed on its own metal stand, we’ve elevated this functional object into a small work of sculpture.