Oval paktong opium box engraved on one side with a scene of a lady with a flower sitting under a weeping willow. The other side is engraved with a poem. Paktong (白銅) literally means ‘White copper’ and was used to imitate sterling silver. In fact it contains about 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc and no silver at all. The inside is lined with copper which is normal for an opium box. The box dates from the end of the Qing period (1644 – 1912) to the early Republic period (1912 – 1947). Height 4.1 cm. Width 3.8 cm. Depth 2.0 cm.