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Any information (age, quality etc.) would be most appreciated on this small jewelry box.

Many Thanks!

Don'na jōhō (nenrei, hinshitsu nado) mo kono chīsana hōseki-bako de mottomo takaku hyōka sa rerudeshou. Dōmo arigatō!

Zài zhège xiǎoxíng zhūbǎo hé shàng, rènhé xìnxī (niánlíng, zhìliàng děng) jiāng bù shēng gǎnjī.

Fēicháng gǎnxiè!

Your Chinese box looks to have been made circa the mid-20th century or later in the third quarter therein, judging by clues such as use of nails instead of screws to secure the perfunctorily chased metal hardware. The latter has a thinness suggesting it might have been die-cut from brass spent in Mainland military conflicts of the 30s and 40s. The painted porcelain plaque used in the lid possibly dates to as early as late Qing and may be another salvaged component repurposed in new decoration.

Here are photos of a bookend, one of two I have that also are assembled from such recycled materials around the same time. The softstone jade substitute was carved in lopsided freehand with machine tools, while the frame looks to be of similar wartime spent brass, possibly from oil cans or other such containers. The small porcelain plaque in the middle appears to be from a painted dish shard and is interesting enough to distract the eye from the imperfect edge surrounding it.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Thank you so much for the reply and information. I've also heard that old vases were made into lamps during the war years, do to shortages of materials.

Again......Many Thanks!

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