Ink box made from a material which is marked as silver. The cover is decorated with three magpies (birds) in a blossoming plum tree. This is a popular motif in China and represents the saying 'May your joy reach as high as your eyebrows (Xishang meishao)'. The magpies 'xique' are birds of joy and the plum 'mei' is a pun for 'eyebrows' while the top of the plum tree 'mei shao' is a pun for 'top of one's eyebrows'. Ink boxes gave their owner the possibility to bring his ink along when he was going out. The box dates from around 1930. Diameter 5.0 cm. Height 1.9 cm.