Snuff box made of ivory dyed black and red, decorated with children and a banana tree, Japan, Meiji period (1868–1912) Shield-shaped, with continuous decoration on a black-stained background depicting children playing in a garden near a large banana tree taking root in a pierced rock. The foot, shoulder, neck, and stopper are all decorated with geometric friezes stained black and red. Apocryphal Qianlong mark consisting of four characters in zhuanshu script on the base. Total height: 5.8 cm; weight: 54 g Provenance: Millon-Jutheau auction, Hôtel Drouot, February 2 and 3, 1983, lot no. 203.