Zither

Qin (zither). Used in the highest literary class, fine antique, long, wooden, roughly rectangular. One end rounded with raised wooden piece on top of red-brown color, other end square. Bridge and wood piece for attachment of strings: made of one piece of red-brown wood. Main body of wood painted black with seven large gold Chinese characters"石鼎烹云顾渚香" down center of top of instrument. Thirteen small round nacre inlays arranged in a line down one side of length of sound board. Body is hollow, two rectangular holes in the bottom, two small legs at the square end. Seven strings extend the total length and attach on bottom of instrument. Good condition. All strings missing, two legs missing.