Bidspirit auction | Chinese Brass Animal Matchbox &

Chinese Brass Animal Matchbox & Holder - A group of brass smoking accessories including five matchbox covers and one upright holder. The pieces are constructed from cast and sheet brass with hand-incised decorative details. Each of the five covers is designed to fit over a standard small matchbox and features an oval cutout on the sides to allow access to the striking surface. These covers are topped with cast animal finials including an elephant with its trunk raised, two distinct seated figures resembling Pekingese or Foo Dogs, and two mice or rats with large ears. The surfaces of the covers are further embellished with incised motifs of birds, floral sprays, and scrolling clouds. The upright holder features a flared rectangular base and is decorated with an incised dragon or shrimp motif on the front and back panels. This holder contains a period-correct matchbox with pink-headed matches. No manufacturer name, hallmark, or country-of-origin mark is readable on the metal surfaces. The pieces bear several adhesive inventory labels including a white rectangular label with blue ink reading T188, a similar label reading T184, a label reading T187, and a small square white label with a handwritten black letter L.