decorated with sea creatures, Shanghai, about 1880

Oblong silver cigarette box, with hinged lid, decorated in repoussé with sea creatures and plants against a ground of ring matting produced by the use of a circular punch. Marked with the Chinese characters 'Baoxing'. It was manufactured in Shanghai, the then largest Western community in East Asia, and it was probably meant to be a souvenir or for export. Since 1800 Chinese metalware was mainly produced in imitation of Western models and then imported to the West for the low cost of Chinese labour. After 1800 it was a custom for Chinese silversmiths mainly from Shanghai and Canton to mark their works in imitation of the hallmarks they saw when asked to copy a certain object.

Purchased from a source not recorded in the Asia Department registers, accessioned in 1894. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.

This cigarette box was manufactured in Shanghai at the time when it was the largest Western community in East Asia. It was probably meant to be a souvenir or for export.

From 1800 Chinese metalworkers mainly produced imitations of western models which were then exported to the West at prices that reflected the low cost of Chinese labour. After 1800 it was a custom for Chinese silversmiths, mainly from Shanghai and Canton, to mark their works. They made up their own hallmarks in imitation of those they saw when asked to copy a certain object.

470-1894