Honey-colored agate snuffbox, China, 1820-1880, embellished in Japan during the first part of the 20th century The flattened rectangular bottle with rounded shoulders was decorated in Japan with applications of small pieces of mother-of-pearl, beige steatite enhanced with black, red, beige and pink polychrome, gold leaf and gold lacquer. One side features a young woman and a bird resting on a rock under a plum tree in blossom; on the reverse, gold lacquer calligraphy: 東風吹春之庭 - 百芳香梅花和 - 人心有, translating to: "The east wind blows on the spring garden, A hundred fragrances rise, plum blossoms tune, So is the heart of man". Followed by a signature that translates into Japanese as So Kosho. It stands on an oval foot. A small cinnabar-red lacquer base with flower decoration is included. Height: 5.4 cm