Box asian mark

Hi all picked up this box today was umming and aahing whether to but but the top image got me. Is 200mm long.Is plated and copper underneath and is pretty worn and has what I believe is a japanese mark on bottom was hoping someone could tell me how old it is the inside looks old to me and the detail is pretty good in my opinion hope someone can help. Also any ideas how to get it looking uniform thought about polishing it all but was hoping someone had a better idea cheers chris

 

Yes, Japanese.
There are several here, they seem to leave them as they are:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...&_nkw=Antique+Japanese+metal+Box&_sacat=37936

 

Yeah I saw all those some had marks on bottom some didn't I'm hoping our friend in Japan might know symbol

 

Yours is certainly better quality than some on eBay.

I haven't seen any of our Japanese and Chinese friends around for a while.
Correction, Inishie was here yesterday

 

Hi,
It is a beautiful box. I have never seen an eagle portrayed on a box before. I think it is wonderful and a nice size.
greg

 

Yeah photos don't do it justice I have a couple of Dragon ones like this but far from this detail

 

Decided to polish it up before and after only just started

 

Lovely.

 

Half way there i love the finish some others might not

 

Looks like a bronze-finish Japanese antimony box, agree the eagle is an unusual motif - might be late Meiji or Taishō, but could easily be a bit later...

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=633&q=japanese+bronze+antimony+box&oq=japa&gs_l=img.1.0.35i39k1l2j0l8.2729.3391.0.4986.7.7.0.0.0.0.83.289.4.4.0....0...1.1.64.img..3.4.286.0.v697ZxW2Hrs

~Cheryl

 

Wow thanks Cheryl posted a picture of inside it's missing bottom and the fabric is like a silk the hinges have broken which is unfortunate did they line these inside that long ago

 

I liked the patina on top in the first pictures. Not pointing fingers at you, obviously if you own it you can do what you want, but it always makes me sad to see beautiful patina destroyed. A bit of wax rubbed in with a soft cloth usually makes the patina shine and doesn't devalue objects the way polishing does.