Small silver lock decorated on one side 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 the top of 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'. The other side of the lock is decorated with a flower which we believe is a Peony (Wealth and Honor). The lock is not marked and dates from the late Qing (1644 – 1912) to the early Republic period (1912 – 1947). Width 3.2 cm. Height 2.6 cm. Depth 0.7 cm. Weight 6.3 grams.