Author Topic: Japanese Cigarette Box??  (Read 1530 times)

jbartlet

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Japanese Cigarette Box??
« on: January 01, 2010, 03:22:20 pm »
I got a box filled with coins from my grandfather.  It's a heavy metal - could be silver but I think it's some kind of plated.  It's lined with wood (cedar I think).  The wood pieces come out and beneath them is flakey metal/paint.

There are marks on the bottom.

1 - "MADE IN JAPAN"  but hard to see clearly
2 - a rising sun marking in the center
3 - a four character Japanese set.  I think two of them stand for "made in japan" and I'm nearly sure that none of them are the Japanese sterling mark. 

I want to know how old it is and maybe what company made it and then how much it's worth : )

My guess is that it's ~1920 based on the coins and the other boxes I got with the group. 

jbartlet

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Re: Japanese Cigarette Box??
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2010, 03:24:27 pm »
Two more views.


jbartlet

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Re: Japanese Cigarette Box??
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2010, 05:51:56 pm »
The dimensions are (L x W x H) 5.75" x 3.125" x 1.75"

The 4th mark is definitely the "Japan" mark.  The other 3 are hard to see.  Attached is a pic of what i see the 2nd and 3rd as.  I think the 3rd is some variation of the "made in" or the "nichi"

jbartlet

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Re: Japanese Cigarette Box??
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2010, 11:21:34 am »
Looking more closely at the worn spots - I'm nearly certain it's pewter or some lead mix. 

I did read that boxes like this could have been used for tea, not tobacco. 

I can't find anything like this anywhere online so that's why I'm here.  any opinions are welcome!