Old soapstone?

Hello.hope someone can shed some light for me.
I inherited this "vase" from my grandfather 20 years ago.no idea how long before that he acquired it.i heard a story he found it diving,but it seems to clean.
I stumbled on soapstone on google.
is this what I have?
From my Google'n mine looks so much more detailed.and the thing weighs a ton.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Trying to upload pictures...

 

https://www.antiquers.com/threads/posting-a-thread-and-uploading-pictures.15990/

 

Thank you took a while I had to get an app.anyways here are bad pictures..

 

looks like those Chinese stone carvings..


yours looks like it's filthy...

 

Haha hasn't been cleaned in 30-40-50 years
Am I rich is the question? Haha

 

not that I know of......

 

Difficult to see with the 'frosted look', but it is probably Qingtian stone. Most of this type of carvings are Qingtian stone.

https://www.mindat.org/min-40448.html

 

Haha yes it's dirty
Should I clean it a special way or just water?
I have never heard of these types of stone.

 

China has a lot of these location-specific stones.

 

You don't say how big your piece is, but here are some similar examples being offered on ebay - asking prices are in the $150 - $300 range:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3934828581...MIwNj11omIhAMVLmhHAR00JQPvEAsYBCABEgJ3xfD_BwE

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3254733931...MIwNj11omIhAMVLmhHAR00JQPvEAQYAiABEgIo8_D_BwE

And here is a link to the article with the carving that komokwa posted above, where they suggest an insurance value of $200-300 -

https://syvnews.com/lifestyles/trea...cle_3c068f8e-3362-5cb7-a353-ead17a85b407.html

You could start cleaning by using a soft bristle brush, like a makeup brush, to remove loose dust and dirt. A bit of vacuuming might be helpful, but be careful not to bump or scratch the stone with a nozzle. Soapstone is very soft, and easily damaged.

I would expect it to be safe to clean with warm water. But it is always wise to test a small area first, to see if there might be any kind of coating that would be water soluble. You can dampen a cotton swab and rub a bit in an inconspicuous area, dry the spot, and see if it removes anything other than dirt. If it passes that test, you can try rinsing it in your sink. Place a cloth in the basin first, to provide a soft surface. It is best not to immerse the piece in water, but use a sprayer to rinse the entire piece with warm water. If more is needed, you might try working with warm soapy water and a soft bristle toothbrush to get into the nooks and crannies. Rinse well, and then dry as much as you can with a soft cloth. Be sure not to leave any water in the interior of the vases. It will be a difficult piece to dry, so you might try a hair dryer on a low setting to get moisture out of the recesses.

Some advice from a gem and rock supplier:
"Soapstone is very soft with a Mohs hardness of 1, and should be treated with care. Clean soapstone with a soft dry cloth. Wash with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth or soft brush. Dry thoroughly. Do not apply harsh cleaning products that can include bleach and acid. Do not use ultrasonic cleaners or steamers."
https://www.firemountaingems.com/re...:text=Proper Care of Soapstone,Dry thoroughly.

 

to get into the nooks and crannies............

it's ' all ' nooks & crannies !!!

I'd vacuum it first ...very very gingerly ! , using a soft toothbrush to hep remove & loosen dirt & dust in those wonderful ...nooks & crannies !!

Talk about a dust magnet...... ohhhh boy !!

 

On the upper right side of the first pic, is the rim of the vase broken off?

 

Thank you all for the replies.
Yes it is broke ☹️ I didn't glue it in case I showed an expert so they could see the innards I plan to apoxy it back someday.i know it kills the value I was mainly curious what my grandfather passed on.i will clean it and repost it.
I was hoping it was very old but I guess a hundred years isn't much considering haha